Building the Plane as you Fly it

 

Earlier this year, I was invited to take part in a writing project, which sounded interesting, worthwhile, and the perfect fit for my skills and interests. There was just one phrase in the proposal which put me off – “we’re building the plane as we fly it.”

     That’s not really my style. Normally, I prefer to have the plane fully-built and properly-tested well in advance, but I decided to step onboard for the adventure, and I’m glad I did. 

     Building the plane as you fly it is not without its frustrations, such as seeing entire sections of your hard work tossed aside when an adjustment to the format renders them unnecessary, but it also provides opportunities for learning and growth in a different way from having everything planned in advance. 

     It caused me to think back to my early days of blogging. That was certainly a case of building the plane as I flew it. I was clueless in many ways, but I had sensed God calling to me to share my writing for the first time, so I stepped out in faith and learned as I went. 

     Within six weeks, I embarked on a challenge called Write 31 Days. It was a blogging challenge which took place every October. The aim was to choose a topic and to write and publish a post on it every day throughout the month. While it was an ambitious undertaking for a baby blogger, it was incredibly helpful in establishing a habit of writing, and the community that built up around the challenge provided helpful encouragement and accountability. I think I took part in the Write 31 Days challenge five times over the years, and it was always a blessing. 

     Recently, my blog has gone quiet. Life has been busy, and while I have plenty of ideas for writing, the time to implement them has been limited. 

     One of these ideas is an Advent series with a short reflection each day, and, as I pondered it this week, I felt challenged to have a go. 

     As I write this post on December 1^st, I have one post published, three scheduled and a rough outline for the other 21 – in most cases just a few words. It really is going to be a case of building the plane as I fly it, but I think at the moment, if I want to fly the plane at all, it’s the only way to make it happen. 

     There is definitely a time for careful planning when it comes to writing, but I think there is also a time for flying by the seat of your pants. 

     For me, embarking on a challenge like this provides motivation and commitment to make it to the end. How I will find the time is another matter, but I reason that whether or not I make it to 25 posts, I will have written more than I would have otherwise! 

     Have you ever taken part in a daily writing challenge? I’d love to hear about your experiences too! Feel free to share in the comments.

Lesley Crawford blogs at Life In The Spacious Place and contributes regularly at Gracefully Truthful. She has written One Big Story, a Bible curriculum for school groups and contributed to various anthologies, including the ACW anthology, "Merry Christmas, Everyone" and "The Jesse Tree Anthology".