The Difference Between Writing and Completing a Writing Project

Writing is not the same thing as completing a writing project.

(Visual artists, substitute "art" for "writing." The ideas still apply.)

If you desire to share your writing with others, think in terms of shareable forms. What's a shareable form? Something you can point to and say: here, read this. An article. A blog post. A chapter in a book. A whole book!

Instead of just meandering through endless free-writing processes and morning pages, give your writing some definition, some boundaries, some containment.

I believe strongly in creative meandering. But this is different from completing a writing project.

Imagine a river. This is your writing *process*. The water flows and flows. You can wade into it. You can dunk your head in it. You can scoop up a handful and slake your own thirst. But if you want to share the water with the people in your village, you need a bucket, a bottle, a cup -- something to contain it, something you can carry it in. This is your writing *project*.

Craft a vessel to carry your writing to the people.

Say: I will complete a [ blog post or article or chapter, etc ] on [ x ] by this date.

Then tell a friend.

And tell them you will send them an email letting them know that you did it.

Then do it.