The Process of Writing

As I sit here staring at the blank screen, thoughts race through my mind as I contemplate what lies ahead. Is my topic clear? Is it appropriate? What is it that I want to say? Finally the fear sets in, what lie ahead is a minefield of self-doubt and criticism, one misstep could lead to a personal catastrophe. I take each step with caution, slowly putting my thoughts on paper, exposing myself to scrutiny. The answers do not present themselves with the concrete certainty of mathematics and science, they are subjective and open to interpretation. Writing for me is an uncomfortable experience filled with irrational fear and trepidation.

The first obstacle on my journey confronts me, the topic. It is an auspicious occasion when the topic is preselected, it is one less obstacle for me to overcome. Unfortunately, when I am required to select a topic an internal struggle takes place. I immediately begin contemplating subjects of interest and their relationship to the present exercise. Is there a subject that I would like to know more about? Will this subject fulfill the requirements for the exercise? After a day or two of reflection, I present myself with a short list of topics that I find appealing and appropriate. I review my list of topics and select the one that I believe to be of the greatest interest to me. The selection of my writing topic is not a task taken lightly, it is a process requiring great care and consideration.

Once the daunting task of selecting a topic is complete, I reluctantly begin researching the selected topic. All writing projects require some research to complete, but there is significant difference in the research required depending upon the type of paper being prepared. Little research is required f...

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...ch the revisions and return with a new printout. I continue this process until I can find no more errors.

Once I have found it to be error free, I begin the final revision process of my paper. I have my wife review the paper for errors, she has a keen eye for spotting errors and good judgment. I then correct any errors and consider her opinions on other possible edits. I do a last reading of the paper to assuage my doubts and perform any last minute changes. Finally, my arduous task has reached completion and I can breathe a sigh of relief.

I may sigh in relief, but I have little reason to believe that the process of writing will ever be comfortable for me. Even though the results are typically favorable, the whole process seems to lack the certainty of result that I find desirable and leaves me filled with self-doubt, much like taking a step in a minefield.