Writing is painful at times. But it doesn't have to be.

Dear Reader,

It is something they don't tell you. Writing is painful at times. Here's the thing, writers are not supposed to be tortured artists. No artist is supposed to be tortured. Writing is difficult and requires a lot of effort. It can be exhausting. But if it is torment, stop and look at what is going wrong in the process.

Sometimes, you may be like me and getting in your own way. I have an anxiety issue and I tend to stumble over my own feet (literally and figuratively, but the literal part is just because I'm clumsy). In my anxiety, I go back to my research over and over again with this obsessive need to make sure that everything is perfect. It's exhausting and painful. There's only so many times you can look at the same facts and say "Yep, that's accurate."

Creativity is like sex. If you are doing it right, it is a lot of work and ends with a lot of pleasure. (No one mentions how much work sex is, but it is work. One of the reasons why they say it counts as exercise.) Sometimes, it is a lot of work and it is challenging. That's like trying a different position and such. It is when it hurts that you have to stop and say "Wait, something isn't working properly here." Even a masochist has limits and has to say "Stop, this isn't working."

So, what do you do when writing is painful?

1. Take a break. Maybe you've been working too hard.
2. Re-write your work from your last save point.
3. Work on a different project for a little bit.
4. Do something completely different if you're stuck. (Coloring books count!)
5. Edit your outline and look for what is missing.
6. Review your notes and look for what is missing.
7. TAKE A BREAK. (Drink a nice cup of tea!)
8. Do something boring and mundane (like wash the dishes after having that cup of tea).
9. Read your own work out loud to a disinterested third party (a lamp counts.)
10. Stop writing for a time and do something completely different for a set period of time.