The Unbearable Lightness of Writing

A woman sitting on a bench in a park writing in a notebook.

You should be writing daily. And if it seems challenging, impossible, and unrealistic, here are a few thoughts that might change your mind.

Your writing doesn’t have to be extensive. It should be just as long as necessary to get your point across. Say what you wanted to say, no more and no less. (Some of my blog posts would fit in a tweet.)

You don’t need comprehensive research or an original idea. You can write about anything you notice during your day. (I’ve often written about my everyday interactions with my family and coworkers.)

You don’t have to write a good blog post. You just have to write one. After all, you don’t get to decide what’s good and what’s not good; that’s for your audience to determine. (Some of the articles I thought were embarrassingly bad were very well received.)

You don’t need a lot of time or an ideal environment. You can take a small notebook with you wherever you go. People will be impressed when you start to jot things down. Or you can write on your phone just about anytime and anywhere. (I’ve written quite a few blog posts on the side of a bed as my daughter was falling asleep.)

Start writing today and make it a habit. You will thank me later.