The Writing Life #8: Saving Up?

What Are You Waiting For?

Saving is a great strategy for wealth building, but a terrible practice for the creative life. Many writers fear that an idea might be too good, too special, too important for the project they are working on. When that happens, we become tempted to “save it for later.” It’s true, however, that not every idea fits into this idea, but, here the truth: If an idea fits, grip it and rip it. Put it all out there. There’s no point in saving it.

I learned this through my practice of homiletics. As a younger preacher I was tempted to save up material for another sermon in the future. I thought, “This is a solid sermon. I can use these other insights and ideas later,” fearing that I would run out of ideas and need to reach back into the well. But that never happened. In the meantime, I ended up thinking a sermon was better than it was, and in the delivery of the homily wishing I could remember. that key piece that would’ve made it better.