Writing and Puzzles

Most people associate writers with either A) a scruffy, tired wordsmith huddled over a messy desk and a pile of papers, scrambling to get their genius out and onto the page, or B) a cool, calm, and composed author, neatly decorating a crisp blank page with their thoughts while occasionally looking up to the sky for inspiration.

I fall into neither of those categories.

For me, writing is less of a mad dash or aesthetic activity and more of a puzzle. Pulling together the pieces of an idea, seeing where they best fit and flow, until I eventually have a completed draft.

Puzzling together a piece of work is where I get stuck and spend the most time, but it’s also the most fun. This game of mental gymnastics is actually a huge part of why I love my work.

And that’s how it always goes, isn’t it? The processes that frustrate us actually end up being the most rewarding.