6 Things I Hate About Writing

Guest Post by Dana Leipold

I'm thrilled to bring you another wonderful guest post on the world of writing, this time by Dana Leipold, author of Burnt Edges. Enjoy, readers!

​6 Things I Hate About Writing
 
Hate is such a strong word but it’s necessary when I tell you that I sometimes want to pull out all my teeth and hair when I write. I get so sick of battling the muse that I want to tell her to hit the road and leave me alone!
 
And now without further ado, here are six things I hate about writing:
 
1. There Too Many Other People Who Are Good At It
Okay, I’m a jealous person but I don’t get envious of other writers’ success; I’m really happy for them. I get envious of how well they write! I want to write like that! I’ve discovered, however, that there is no magic pill or class you can take that will turn you into a great writer. Nope. You’ve got to work hard at it, which leads me to the next thing I hate about writing…
 
2. Writing is Hard Work…And I Don’t Like Hard Work
Now you know I’m a lazy person, too! I WISH there was a magic pill. I would have bought pallets of it from Costco. Writing is like exercise (by the way I hate to exercise too). You have to do it over and over until your muscles are so strong and big that you can do amazing things. And the older you get, if you don’t do it every day, your muscles atrophy fast. Same with writing. I HATE THAT!
 
3. Obsessing About It When I’m Not Writing
I have a full life (even though I’m a jealous and lazy person). I squeeze writing in between my paid job, being a mother, taking care of the house, maintaining a marriage, cleaning the cat box, etc.. When I’m not writing, I’m think about it ALL THE TIME! Especially if I’m in the middle of a project. It’s like the projects seeps into my brain and possesses my every waking minute until I finish it.
 
4. Writing is a Solitary Endeavor
When I’m sitting here staring at the screen, forcing myself not to go on Facebook because I must write, it gets kind of lonely. The bizarre thing is I do this voluntarily. I say, “no” to social engagements because I should be writing. I tell my kids and my husband to go away because I should be writing. Then when I’m alone, I can’t think of a single thing to WRITE!
 
5. Writing is Making My Butt Big
Remember how I told you that I hate to exercise? Well, combine that with sitting at the computer for hours writing and what do you get? A BIG FAT BUTT. I’m not talking about a nice, round Kim Kardashian butt either. I’ve had to come up with really weird motivators to get my butt moving so it doesn’t get too big for my chair.
 
6. Writing Can Be Boring Sometimes
Yes, I said it. Hollywood may beg to differ but writing is sometimes not the most exciting activity in the world. When motivation is low, when the coffee is gone, and when your eyes are so red from staring at the same paragraph for ten hours, you get bored. This is usually when you need a break to clear your head.
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Even though I hate these things about writing, I still do it. I can’t imagine not ever writing either. The truth is: I write because I HAVE TO…my head would explode if I didn’t. And I kind of like my head so I guess I will just have to keep doing it.

Dana Leipold is a freelance writer and author. Her award-winning debut novel, Burnt Edges (published by Booktrope) has gained critical acclaim. She also self-published two books, Stupid Poetry: The Ultimate Collection of Sublime and Ridiculous Poems and The Power of Writing Well: Write Well. Make a Difference. She helped found, Kōsa Press, an independent publishing label specializing in shared universe anthologies and is a member of the Association of Independent Authors. She practices yoga, loves funny cat videos, and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two children. You can visit her blog at www.danaleipold.com.
 
You can also visit Dana on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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