When a long writing project seems like a haul or you cannot find a consistent pace, imagine Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel.
In his lovely memoir All the Beauty in the World, Patrick Bringley tells us that each morning, Michelangelo’s helpers would put fresh plaster on one small section of the ceiling, which he would finish before it dried. The work day (a giornata in Italian) was determined both by the master’s speed and the plaster’s drying rate.
If you have the privilege to get up close to the Sistine Chapel, apparently you can spot the seams between daily sections painted centuries ago. You can trace the master’s work, day by day, and see how long each part took. God? Four giornata. Adam? Another four. The entire work? More than 370.
Painting with patience
Whether we’re creating a single, massive work or a lifelong creative practice, we’re always dancing with both time and energy. Long term success comes from showing up and putting in your day’s work.
It’s easy to forget that unglamorous reality in painting, writing, and all art. In writing, for example, the seams between the author’s days are rarely visible unless the author has chosen a “collection” or journal approach. Editing and revision erase the seams.
We may foolishly believe that we can choose the pace at which we want to proceed almost arbitrarily. We think of creativity as a faucet we can turn on full blast, at will.
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard people say, “I’ll write the book in four weeks!” I’ve even had the same thought myself. Those plans made in haste rarely stick.
Like Michelangelo, most days you can only go so far before the plaster dries. (The plaster, in this analogy, is your ability to summon words on the topic not just on a single day but many days strung together. It’s your writing tank, your creative energy.)
You’ll have to figure out what a sustainable pact of work is for you, right now, based on your conditions and your project.
What’s your day’s work?
The true measure of a day’s work will vary with the work and the writer. One prolific full-time novelist might aim for 2,000 words a day, while another might build a lasting career with 500 words a day. A nonfiction writer might work toward weekly chapter goals, adjusting based on their life and their energy.
Your day’s work may change with your circumstances. In a busy period, perhaps your writing gets only 15 minutes a day to develop ideas or take the next, small step. When your time frees up, you can adjust it upward.
Respect the pace
I find this idea of a daily limit comforting. While our limits may vary, we all have them.
Don’t put fresh plaster on more than you can fill. Don’t rush the work you want to last. Take pride and pleasure in the good days, even if the area covered seems small.
Maintaining forward momentum is often our only option. Keep writing before the plaster dries.
Related Reading
If you need help finding your creative footing and pace, try the creativity reset in We Need Your Art by Amie McNee.
And, I really loved All the Beauty in the World, a memoir the author’s time as a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
