In my email newsletter yesterday, I talked about giving yourself permission to not finish a story.
There is so much pressure to finish things. I know that I have been given a hard time so often over the years about starting with a bright idea and then it petering out and remaining unfinished. I have hundreds of unfinished writing projects on my computer, from short stories to novels and everything else.
In my writing groups, many participants stress about not finishing their stories. I reassure them that it is OK, we are only together for an hour and I don’t expect something finished let alone perfect in that time.
Some teens ask then what is the point of writing this? I reply with a question – are they having fun creating the story? The answer is always yes. I say, that is the point.
Not finishing something feels like an act of rebellion, especially in a world that seems to value productivity. Being there in the moment and creating a story, no matter how short, can be enjoyable, I know it is for me. Without the pressure to turn it into a book means that I can sit there and create. The fact that so many projects remain unfinished seems to bother other people more than it bothers me!
One thing I’ve realised is that I’m not always motivated by the end goal, it’s the journey that is most important, and often this means leaving projects unfinished, at least for now. I know I can always go back to them later.
When writing for yourself, I encourage you to relax and enjoy the journey, and give yourself permission to leave pieces unfinished, especially if it means taking the pressure off yourself. If you feel like it, you can always go back and finish it another time.
