The Writer’s Rollercoaster: 10 Emotional Stages of Writing
The creative process is a beautiful thing!
Said no writer, ever. The truth is, however remarkable our intellectual progeny may be, it was no doubt born from a long and arduous journey paved with the blood, sweat and tears of our creative consciousness.
If there’s one thing most of us can relate to, it’s the painful, thrilling and unrelenting emotional rollercoaster we experience as we unlock the dark recesses of our imagination.
So here we have it: the emotional journey of writing in 10 wonderful, gruesome stages, along with some inspiring tidbits from some of the great people who have tread the path before us.
In the words of children’s writer Amy Joy: “Anyone who says writing is easy isn’t doing it right.”
Stage 1: Excitement
“You must not come lightly to the blank page.” ― Stephen King
Ah, the promise of the empty page…the cursor staring back at you on the screen, flickering with the prospect of a new adventure, those first thrilling moments as you watch your ideas take shape on the page. This stage of writing is the honeymoon stage. Sparkly, cute, full of energy. And always short-lived.
Stage 2: Uncertainty
“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.” ― Jodi Picoult
The first line was inspired. But then you glanced over it again this morning and actually…maybe it’s not quite there after all. The childlike confidence of Stage 1 is starting to shift and reality is setting in. Waking up early to write? Missing the party? Late nights in front of your laptop? I mean, is it all really worth it? The excuses start rolling in but the pages aren’t rolling out and before you know it, the uncertainty is creeping in.
Stage 3: Persistence
"You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” ― Octavia E. Butler
Ok, you’re back on track and going at it like a steam train; nothing can get in your way! You re-read the bits you like best with a wry smile on your lips, smug from the knowledge that you really are – as you’ve always suspected – a great talent. In fact, you’re already anticipating the incredible praise you’ll get from your critics when you publish your masterpiece. Revel in this stage because, like all the best ones, it won’t last long.
Stage 4: Distraction (AKA: Procrastination)
“If I waited till I felt like writing, I’d never write at all.” ―Anne Tyler
So, you’ve been preoccupied with other things. Perhaps you’ve been binge-watching your favorite TV series or binge-drinking away your best friend’s birthday weekend. Or maybe you read some fascinating “true story” about a woman who married an alligator and became the first female president of a fictitious country and you should, in fact, abandon your current writing project to work on her biography instead.
What you haven’t been doing is sitting down with your draft, tearing it apart, editing out the fat and reordering those paragraphs. In reality, you’ve barely touched your computer at all, except to look for can’t-miss deals on Groupon.
Sound familiar? Then you, my friend, have a classic case of Writer’s Procrastination. Time to move on.
Stage 5: Doubt
“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” ― Sylvia Plath
The tail-end of distraction. It’s a dark place. You re-read everything and you basically want to throw up all over your computer. Did I write this baloney? Was I drunk? Was I sleepwalking? Truth is, your worst enemy is yourself, and there should really be no room for dangerous doubt in your sacred creative process.
Reality check: If you don’t believe in you, then no one else will.
Stage 6: Shame
“The first draft of anything is shit.” ―Ernest Hemingway
This is fear’s shy but sneakier younger brother. Shame is a filthy by-product of doubt. It tells you never to write another word again. Your colleagues will mock you, your parents will disown you and you’ll get your own humiliating meme so the internet can punish you for your crimes against the written word. If you publish one line of this trash then all your friends will abandon you and you’ll never leave the house again.
Truth is, there’s nothing shameful about trying something new. And don’t forget, this is where the magic of editing comes in.
Stage 7: Fear
“If I wanted perfection, I wouldn’t write a word.” ―Margaret Atwood
This is essentially what comes between publishing something great and the words never seeing the light of day. It’s unlikely Nietzsche ever thought, “Wait a second, this is a little far-fetched. Let’s just keep these avant-garde ideas here in my top drawer so they can mummify until they’re discovered after my death.” Fear is your enemy. Remember―few writers were published the first time. Some of the best needed a few hundred tries.
Stage 8: Courage
“Creativity takes courage. ” ― Henri Matisse
Aha, here comes Captain Courage! “No guts, no glory,” he whispers in your ear, as every encouraging “failure is actually success” cliché rises to the surface and, finally, your brave, adventurous writer-self starts to spread her wings again.
Captain Courage is your friend. Nurture him (or her) whenever you can.
Stage 9: Relief (AKA: Euphoria)
“Writing the last page of the first draft is the most enjoyable moment in writing. It’s one of the most enjoyable moments in life, period.” ― Nicholas Sparks
The thrill of getting down that final word. The unbridled joy!
And then: “My work of genius will win a prize. Famous authors will revere me and tweet about my opus. This piece of writing will inspire a generation!”
This stage is fun, but purely self-indulgent – and no one likes a show off. So don’t stay here too long.
Stage 10: Pride
“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.” ―Frank Herbert
Yes, you’re finally here at the end of your long, emotionally draining journey and you realize it’s all been worth it.
But alas, like all the all the other stages that came before, this too may be fleeting. There will always be that nagging desire to take apart, re-read, re-rewrite, re-shape and re-create. It feels like you’re never quite finished.
Because a piece of writing is never really finished, is it?
Abi Yitshaki, UX Writer at Wix
