The lost art of finishing
If there's one complaint I hear most among my friends regarding their creative projects, it's "I just can't finish anything."
And when I'm not hearing about it, well, I'm witnessing it - abandoned projects left and right. So many people have the start of a novel they want you to read and critique, in the hopes that your feedback will drive them to the end. Since I enacted my policy of "I only read and critique completed drafts" I've not gotten a single request from anyone outside of my writing workshop.
My sister had people many times ask her for illustrations for games or books. She said that she wasted a lot of effort producing content for projects that never finished. Nowadays, "I just tell them, 'get me a completed draft, and I'll make your art.' Haven't had any takers since then."
Why is it so hard to FINISH things? I... I can't bear to have a short story draft on my computer without an ending. It's like a loose thread hanging off my sleeve. I MUST snip it or worry at it until the whole sweater unravels.
Still, there are things I don't finish. Sewing projects most of all. Honestly, I think it's all about commitment. I'm committed to writing. I must finish. Sewing is a means to an end. I wouldn't sit and sew for no reason. If I'm bored, I don't think "Oh! Let's go sew!" I sew because I HAVE to because I have a project I want and no one else will make it like I want it, really. It's WORK. Icky icky put-off-able work. :P
I dunno. I just think... we're not all craftsmen at every craft we take up. Sometimes we're dabblers. Any given craft will have far more dabblers engaging in it than craftsmen. I think the secret is just to acknowledge which you are, and if you're a dabbler who wants to be a craftsman, you have to decide to do it, and decide to make the commitment and pay the price of the time and energy it will take. There are loads of things I say "I want" but when it comes down to it, I want it at the price of maybe one hour a week, say. I want new garb. But the price I'm willing to pay is: one hour a week. Or so. Or one hour a month. I want a new story. The price I'm willing to pay is: all my free time for the next three days. There's a difference.
Never forget: we choose how we spend our time. The trick is to choose deliberately.
And when I'm not hearing about it, well, I'm witnessing it - abandoned projects left and right. So many people have the start of a novel they want you to read and critique, in the hopes that your feedback will drive them to the end. Since I enacted my policy of "I only read and critique completed drafts" I've not gotten a single request from anyone outside of my writing workshop.
My sister had people many times ask her for illustrations for games or books. She said that she wasted a lot of effort producing content for projects that never finished. Nowadays, "I just tell them, 'get me a completed draft, and I'll make your art.' Haven't had any takers since then."
Why is it so hard to FINISH things? I... I can't bear to have a short story draft on my computer without an ending. It's like a loose thread hanging off my sleeve. I MUST snip it or worry at it until the whole sweater unravels.
Still, there are things I don't finish. Sewing projects most of all. Honestly, I think it's all about commitment. I'm committed to writing. I must finish. Sewing is a means to an end. I wouldn't sit and sew for no reason. If I'm bored, I don't think "Oh! Let's go sew!" I sew because I HAVE to because I have a project I want and no one else will make it like I want it, really. It's WORK. Icky icky put-off-able work. :P
I dunno. I just think... we're not all craftsmen at every craft we take up. Sometimes we're dabblers. Any given craft will have far more dabblers engaging in it than craftsmen. I think the secret is just to acknowledge which you are, and if you're a dabbler who wants to be a craftsman, you have to decide to do it, and decide to make the commitment and pay the price of the time and energy it will take. There are loads of things I say "I want" but when it comes down to it, I want it at the price of maybe one hour a week, say. I want new garb. But the price I'm willing to pay is: one hour a week. Or so. Or one hour a month. I want a new story. The price I'm willing to pay is: all my free time for the next three days. There's a difference.
Never forget: we choose how we spend our time. The trick is to choose deliberately.