I have a very specific answer when people ask how writing is going.
When I was first starting, I would reply with, “good!” or “pretty good.” I even replied a few times with, “okay.” All of these answers were met with the same response.
*insert head nod*
Few people actually care about the day to day grind that is writing. That part isn’t exciting or glamorous (though it makes up about 90% of the writing life).
They don’t want to know if you’re having trouble with character motivations or if the words aren’t coming. They’re just being nice. And that’s great. Nothing wrong with that.
But, once I read the book Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday, I changed my answer to that question. There is a chapter about work for work’s sake. It really stayed with me.
Doing the work is enough.
I try to live by that, because I really do love the work. I love the outlining and the drafting and the editing (though not as much as the first two). I love the work. And I really want to keep the mindset that doing the work is enough.
So now, when someone asks how the writing is going, I reply with, “I’m having a blast. I love the work.”
Jump. Build, Fly.
F.C. Shultz