At one point or another, we’ve all been forced to write under pressure — your fingers moving franticly as they glide across a trembling keyboard. The sensation can feel euphoric, your brain processing, retaining, and dispersing information at an alarming rate. With every second passed your deadline inches closer. Your chances at success are slim but if you can pull this off, the personal reassurance that you’re as good as you thought you were will be well worth it.
Writing while stressed comes with the territory even though in my honest opinion, it’s the worst kind of writing there is. There’ll always be a tight deadline or writer’s block that rears its head at the most inopportune time, but when that happens it’s best to keep calm and not allow pressure to predicate your craft.
Real writing doesn’t happen like it does in the movies
I’ve seen it in enough works of fiction. Our protagonist races against a quickly approaching deadline and in the nick of time an idea — no, the perfect idea — comes to them, and they’re able to effortlessly articulate it in words just before the clock strikes zero. I hate to break it to you, but real writing doesn’t happen like it does in the movies. Good ideas need to be nurtured and that rarely occurs when under stress.
Nine times out of ten, you need a foundation before you begin to construct what will be your piece, whether it be a novel, blog, or whatever else you’re writing. Under stress, your keen and penetrating eye for repetitive phrases and poor grammar is rendered useless because you’re lacking two important factors: time and a clear mind. The most unfair aspect of writing is that people want it fast, and they want it perfect. But without time, care, and a clear mind, what words do end up landing on that page will be far from your best work, and trust me, you’ll still be judged all the same.
So, what do I do?
First things first, take a deep breath. Like I said, it comes with the territory. When you’re starting to stress out, it’s important to remember that every writer has been where you are. Don’t focus on getting ten ideas you’re unsure of down but rather one idea you’re confident in. Either way you’re being judged.
It’s better to come up short with one really good idea or sentence or paragraph than finish on time with a page full of fluff or nonsense. If every writer lost their job for blowing a deadline, the unemployment line would wrap around the globe four times over. If the words are good, they’ll understand. Just don’t make missing deadlines a habit and you’ll be alright.
Another type of stress
Now that we’ve discussed deadline-related stress writing, there’s another kind we need to talk about. There’s the stress we put on ourselves. We’re constantly giving our all, trying our best not to sleepwalk through our ideas and deliver the best product possible. In doing so, constant self-improvement can lead to burnout.
Maybe you’re working hard to ensure your next article gets more views than your last or trying to correct every criticism your previous work received, but you cannot overload yourself. Your writing gets better simply by writing and taking in new information, not by adhering to strict self-enforced guidelines. If you believe forcing good ideas onto the page is a sound strategy, then you’re going to be disappointed. Stephen King said it best. “When you’re not reading, write. When you’re not writing, read”. This’ll ensure that you’re not just churning out content in an attempt to outdo what came before.
Writing is rarely ever right on the first try…so why stress about it?
No matter what type of writing you’re doing, one thing is almost a guaranteed certainty: there will be a second draft. Even when there are deadlines, it’s usually for review to get to the second draft. Yes, your work should be the best version of your initial idea but that comes with time. Don’t stress about your first draft not being great because it probably won’t be. Besides, you haven’t received feedback, self-edited, or had time to consider if what you’re writing even makes sense.
Keeping in mind that there will be a second draft can put you at ease and allows your thoughts to flow more naturally. Sometimes you capture lightning in a bottle on the first try and it’s a glorious feeling, but it certainly doesn’t come from stress writing. Take your time, evaluate your ideas, and formulate what you’re trying to say. It’ll make your second and third drafts more refined while helping you compose work you can be proud of.
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