by Angela Enos
A hairdresser styles hair. A baker bakes. A runner, well, runs. And therefore, a writer-yes, writes! Mic drop. Is that really all there is to it? We are writers; therefore we simply write. We write in the morning, in the afternoon, and into all hours of the night.
As you know, that is probably not the case with most emerging writers. It takes discipline and inspiration to write. And it takes years of practice and hours of editing to write eloquently. So how can we, as emerging writers find the inspiration for all of this effort? Well, it appears that I have made a full circle, you write!
“Don’t wait to become inspired, write to become inspired.” Angela Enos
One of the biggest mistakes that a writer makes is waiting to become inspired to write. Inspiration often comes when you are writing. Perhaps our best writing comes when we are writing? When you begin to put some words on a page, here it is, whether you feel like it or not, that is when your writing will evolve. Don’t wait until you have a great idea, and don’t wait for the perfect time or a moment of supernatural inspiration. When you begin writing, your writing will evolve, new ideas will begin to form, and you will soon be looking at something creative, something you had not planned on.
I have found this to be true over and over in my writing. The discipline of sitting down and beginning to write is often what brings about my best writing. Inspiration is often formed in the writing process.
For example, recently I was preparing to write a 1,250 nonfiction story for a writing contest. I had a story in my mind but needed the discipline to begin writing. I didn’t have anything earth-shattering or award-winning at this point. It was just a simple story that began with me sitting at my kitchen table anxiously awaiting my son’s arrival. I didn’t have the dramatic beginning that I needed, but I did need to write, so I wrote my first sentence.
(Draft No. 1) I sit at my kitchen table in great anticipation of my son’s arrival.
Nothing too dramatic, but it was a start. I continued to write. Words were beginning to flow. Paragraphs were forming. Perhaps I should go back and look at that first sentence again. It’s not enough. I need to Show, Not Tell How to Show, Don’t Tell in Your Writing — Angela Enos Live
What am I doing while I sit at the table anxiously waiting? How does sitting show anticipation? I know, I am tapping my fingers on my coffee cup. I dress up my first sentence.
(Draft No. 2) I sit at my kitchen table in great anticipation of my son’s arrival. My hands cradle my coffee cup. I lightly tap the rim.
Think-think. I try to imagine myself waiting in my kitchen. What else would I do if I were waiting? Yes, I would pace. I add two more sentences.
(Draft No. 3) The anticipation of my son’s arrival has left me pacing, perhaps wearing some of the polish off my shiny kitchen floor. I eventually force myself to sit at the breakfast table. My hands cradle my coffee cup. I lightly tap the rim.
Voila! Things are looking up now. That is a somewhat better beginning. I work on the entire piece for an hour or so, leave my office, and begin my day. Yet, I cannot stop thinking about the article I was writing. Yes, I am now inspired! I woke up with minimal desire to dig into this endeavor, and now I have become inspired by simply beginning to write.
Later that morning, I drive to the grocery store; my article is still on my mind. I have a creative thought. While at a red light, I grab my phone, open an email, and dictate my idea.
Once home, I transcribe the dictation into my contest entry.
My hands cradle my coffee cup, and as if counting the seconds with my fingers, I lightly tap the rim. I have strategically positioned myself just a few yards from my back door, ready to leap out of my chair and greet my son upon his arrival.
I had to write to become inspired, becoming so motivated that I was creating, even while in traffic.
“Don’t wait to become inspired, write to become inspired.” Angela Enos
Need a plan – my blog How to Write a Book – How to Write a Book — Angela Enos Live
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Angela Enos is an emerging author and certified speaker and teacher with the John Maxwell team. Angela’s platform, Prayers for Life, is an online prayer school where she produces weekly video prayers and teachings on four social media platforms. Angela’s second platform, Writers for Life, consists of a weekly blog and an online course, both of which teach and train emerging authors on writing techniques and the fundamentals of building an author platform.
On YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram at Angela Enos Live
