How to Write, Part 2: Blood, Sweat, And Tears

Okay. Luna says I'm not allowed to talk about 'boring silly words' yet, so I have to talk about another topic. Oddly, one that's near and dear to the hearts of both myself and the warrior princess you all know and love. This is also one of the most important things to remember about writing: about a lot of things, as a matter of fact, and it helped me out when times got tough myself. It helps me out these days, too. It also sometimes makes me seem like I'm a little masochistic.
We all often start writing because it seems fun. Because it's great, to see your ideas put down on paper, to see a tale that you yourself have woven together forming bit-by-bit over the page. There's a certain rush, and both feelings of control, and of release, and even relief that comes with it.
But sometimes, as we all know, that feeling can sour. There's time constrictions, writer's block, not having things set up the perfect way we're used to - does anyone else suffer the changeisbadchangeisbadchangeisbad OCD thought-train like I do? - and of course finding out that for some of your writing, for some of your most meaningful expressions, the most you'll probably ever get is a pat on the head, a disinterested 'that's nice,' and maybe a few comments about how you probably could have done better. By nature, a lot of us want praise for what we do, especially when we do something we feel is important, or that has meaning behind it to ourselves: not a lot of us go out there, prepared for rejection... and the crippling disinterest, which can be even more painful. Even we go out braced for impact, that can just make it hurt all the more. But I'm not here to talk about criticism, critique, or comments, or even that lagging feeling that comes from the lack thereof. I'm talking about when writing goes from "this is a pleasant way to spend my time" to "this feels like work now" or "ugh this sucks."
But if you really want to write, if you want to see yourself becoming better, becoming more than you are, truly understanding your craft... you have to embrace that aspect. That writing is work, and it's not always going to be fun. You have to understand and be prepared for the fact you aren't going to always get praised for your work, and that sometimes the things you write, only you will ever truly understand and care about. You need to gaze into the abyss, and you need to be ready to spend hours, sitting at your... whatever you use, fighting to write just one more word, one more sentence, one more page. You need discipline, and resolve, and strength. And you need to believe in something: if not in yourself, then in your stories. I may not believe in myself at all but I have never, ever allowed my faith in what I've written to falter.
Look at it this way: sometimes, something hard, and painful, and difficult and challenging and blah blah blah, it's the better path. Not because it's "superior" but because of the way you're gonna feel when you make it down that path. That pride. That worth. When you can look back and say, "I did it," at the end of the long hard road. When you can honestly say that in spite of everything you pushed through. Bleed for your writing. Fight for your writing. Maybe don't be as crazy as me and be ready to die for it, but... give it your flesh, give it your blood, give it a little piece of your soul, and pour your strength and soul into it. Live it. Be it.
Maybe it's only because of what I've seen. What I still face more days than I care to think about... but life isn't easy. And you know what? It shouldn't be. It's good that it's not. Yeah, it hurts. Horses of Heaven can it ever hurt, I understand that. But if it never did, how would we truly be able to appreciate and understand the depths of pleasure, of good, of right that we can find in life, too? How could any of us dare to say that our lives were worthwhile, without the painful parts? What the hell would any of us learn? I know for a fact that it's because of what I've gone through that I write the way I do. That gave me the strength to learn to sit here, every goddamn day, and write. To stand beside the pony I care for with all my heart and soul, and weather the worst of storms. To see meaning in darkness, and to understand... more than I ever thought I could. Sometimes I stupidly envy those ponies who live their great, unremarkable happy normal little lives. But they should be the ones envying me.
Anyway. Luna says I've gone way off topic and way overboard. I think I probably have but, hey, I said my piece. And I can still blame this all on Luna one way or another anyway, right? The short version is this:
Writing hurts sometimes. Because you're going to face your demons and because sometimes you lose the strength and because sometimes you just don't feel like it. None of those are reasons to stop. Force yourself to push forwards, and don't give up. You'll be stronger for it, and your writing will become stronger for it. You might be surprised at what it teaches you... and besides, if you ever really screw up, that's what editing's for.
Goodnight, everypony. I'm going to go and make out with my hot wife now. Because that's every writer's dream.
You know, unless they like stallions.
It shouldn't be too hard to pretend Luna's a stallion if you like stallions.
Oh Horses of Heaven Luna you are not a stallion. Don't look at me like that. What are youafeagabah

~Scrivener Blooms