Do you write like you're on fire?

I recently read Kristin Weber’s post about writers who act like they’re on fire after they finish a manuscript. Wanting to rush through revisions, to get as far away from the finished thing they created, and being generally impatient to get to the next step of the publishing process, whatever that may look like for them.

What struck me was how accurate this description is. I can confidently say that I write like I’m on fire. When I’m drafting, I feel like I’m wading through the words in my mind the way I tread water in the deep end of a pool. It’s like my head is about to be submerged and the only way to stay above the surface is to get the words onto the page as fast as possible.

Other writers have talked about this too, including Anne Lamott. She said:

E.L. Doctorow once said that 'Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.' You don't have to see where you're going, you don't have to see your destination or everything you will pass along the way. You just have to see two or three feet ahead of you. This is right up there with the best advice on writing, or life, I have ever heard.

I don’t think writing like you’re on fire is a bad thing. In fact, I think it can be a symptom of passion, or inspiration, that desperate need to grab onto an idea before it slips through your grasp.

However, when I opened Substack to begin writing this article, which has been baking in my brain for a few days now, I saw the following note:

It feels impossible these days not to rush. There are so many things competing for our attention. There are always chores to be done and friends to see and random adult things like changing your car’s oil.

It feels like there is never enough time in a day for it all.

I’ve always known that I rush through things. It’s something I’ve been working on since I was in school. I just wanted to get to the end of whatever task I had so I could feel the relief, and the sense of accomplishment, by finishing whatever it was. I took that into college with me too, rushing through projects rather than reflecting on what I was learning from them.

That’s just my personality type, I guess. And I’m sure a lot of people, especially women, can relate.

Even just yesterday, my Oura ring told me I spent seven hours of the day feeling stressed, which surprised me because I had a nice Saturday. I jumped out of bed, made breakfast, went to Trader Joe’s, and cleaned my entire apartment before I had lunch (it was a late lunch, to be fair). Accomplishing all of that made me feel good. I was productive.

I’ve talked a lot about productivity on here because we live in times where productivity is valued. How fast can we do all of the things I mentioned above?

It’s exhausting. It’s unsustainable.

It’s Sunday today, as well as Easter, and my late aunt’s birthday, and it’s raining. I went to bed late and had creepy dreams that left me waking up with a disturbing feeling in my bones. All of those things call for rest. And I am indulging in it. But not without that niggling feeling in the recesses of my mind telling me I should do something. Journal, perhaps. Write more in my current WIP.

So, is all of this to say that writing like you’re on fire is another form of rushing through something? Is it really just about getting words down to check off a daily goal and feel accomplished? Honestly, maybe sometimes. At least for me.

Other times though, I write like I’m on fire because an idea takes hold of me, or a kernel of inspiration hits, and all I can think about is writing it down.

As every creative person knows, that feels like magic. And we could all use a little more magic in our lives.