Loving the process, not just the result

August 22, 2013

Writing is not always fun for me. As is the case with any pastime that’s turned into something more, it has become partially a job, and jobs are not traditionally fun. To be sure, it’s a great deal more fun and fulfilling than my other job, but when I’m writing I still find myself slacking sometimes. How could this be, if this is my dream?

Artist Will Terrell may have given me the answer. I stumbled across his cartoon essay titled “How to get GOOD at drawing“, and though it focuses specifically on drawing, I think its lessons are valid for writing or music or any other type of art as well. In particular, this excerpt struck me:

“The more you do something, the easier and faster it becomes. The easier something becomes, the more fun you’ll have doing it.

In the beginning, you’re often glad that you did something…when it’s done. Even if you didn’t have fun doing it.” -Will Terrell

He goes on to talk about enjoying the process, but this was the part that resonated with me because it made me realize where I am. Sometimes I have fun, sometimes I don’t. I think it’s partially a function of focus and time, because when writing is one of 15,532 things on my plate, it starts to seem more like a chore. Yet even putting that aside, sometimes it’s a slog and it’s not much fun, while when the words sing it’s like I’m flying.

It looks like I still have a ways to go, and that’s alright. I can tell I’m closer as a blogger than a novelist, but I’ll get there as that too. Mr. Terrell says “you need volume of work and repetition of skill in order to develop the ability to draw and still have fun with it.” I guess I’d better keep leveling up my skills, then.