Writing is drudgery. Flannery O’Connor, an incredibly gifted author, once said, “Writing is like giving birth to a piano sideways.” Making this point might seem like a peculiar way to begin an article called The Pleasures of Writing, but agony is part of what leads to enjoyment.
The fact that writing is not easy is what limits the number of people doing it. It causes them to assume that if it is difficult, it cannot be pleasurable; of course, they know this is not true in many other areas of their life. Many people also falsely believe that if you are gifted at something, it must come easy. This notion is rarely the case. Over the years of talking to gifted teachers and writers, I have found that most of them agonize over every essay, article, story, sermon, or book.
If you can put words on a page, you can write. How good you are at it does not increase or decrease the value of doing it. Writing is good—it is a worthy endeavor whether it sees the light of day or not. It focuses our minds, organizes our thoughts, and forces us to refine our ability to know and understand the rules of syntax and grammar. Over the years of doing it, it will even improve your speaking ability. I never realized how many improper phrases and sentence structures I used in public speaking until I started writing. It is still a work in progress. Writing is a practice—we will never reach perfection. It is an art as much as it is a skill.
One of the greatest pleasures is nearing the end of the writing process when your work is almost complete. When, after struggling with doubts and frustrations, you realize your piece is turning into something useful, edifying, and sound. This pleasure cannot be taken away even if no one reads it—you have completed something, and it strengthened your mind in the process.
Sometimes, I write on the computer; other times, like right now, I write with paper and pencil. I tend to prefer writing with paper and pencil for a few reasons. Firstly, I can do it anywhere. A notebook and a writing utensil are all I need. I can be mobile and not tied to a screen. Secondly, I am forced to use my own abilities and not rely on technology to help me get everything right. Thirdly, it helps me persevere even though everything is not perfect. On a computer, I am tempted to edit each paragraph to perfection as I go. Fourthly, not needing to edit as I go helps me with the flow of thoughts. I do not get sidetracked by a red line under a misspelled word. I can fix that later.
Spilling my thoughts onto a page, even if messy, is enjoyable. Especially at the end when I step back and flip through the pages to see what I have written. Only later will I dictate it to a computer and begin the editing process. Editing is labor-intensive but usually easier than the first draft.
The joy of the finished piece has less to do with how many people will read it and more to do with the effort put into it and the quality of the piece you have written. Is it better than the others you have authored before? Does it clearly articulate your thoughts in ways you could have never done otherwise? Is it something that will stand the test of time?
Here is an excellent spot to stop and talk about readership. Writing on a blog like this has at least one benefit. You can see which writings bring readers and which ones they ignore. However, never mistake a wide readership with good writing. Sometimes they align, but many times they do not.
On the Internet, often, the title is what will attract eyes and clicks. A catchy and relevant title usually receives more page views than others, but that does not mean it is better than those with few page views.
I am a run-of-the-mill writer. Thousands upon thousands of people can do what I do, but even I know that some of my most important pieces will not see the light of day because they include titles and topics that are not appealing to most readers. I still reap the benefit of spending time on them, even without a wide readership. On the other hand, some of my most read articles are ones I knew still needed improvement or fell short in some way. This truth is why we must never wait for perfection before we let others see our writing. As they say, “Perfection is the enemy of good.”
All of this is to say a significant pleasure of writing is knowing that you did your best and that what you have written is something you can be proud of. This experience is why AI will always diminish the pleasures of writing if you let it write for you. In the end, even if you have in your hand a fantastic piece that thousands will read, if it is not yours, it will leave you empty. This experience is when the “artificial” in “artificial intelligence” becomes clear.
This need for it to be ours, not AI, leads us to the greatest pleasure of writing. Being made in the image of God, we reflect our creator when we are creative. Writing is one way to do that. Whether reasoning through an argument or writing a story that reflects the truth, we engage with and participate in the Word of God. It is a way to engage in the chief end of man, to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
-D. Eaton
The Fight of Faith 