On Writing

Writing as Excavation

E.L. Doctorow said that ‘writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.’ This metaphor captures something essential about the creative process that many overlook: writing is not about executing a plan; it is about discovering what you are trying to say.

Most writers know this quietly but need permission to trust it. Stories are not built so much as uncovered. You do not start with a complete blueprint. You start with a situation, or a character, or a question, and you write to find out what happens.

For me, I have an idea which grows and develops until I feel I have a book (if not a book, then maybe a short story). I start to write. I write daily. I chase quantity and then edit for quality. Characters appear from nowhere.

This can feel terrifying to new writers who perhaps think they should know everything before they begin. They ask: how can I start if I don’t know where I’m going? The answer is: you start anyway, and the act of writing reveals the destination.

Go write.