First drafts can loom and intimidate like the Great Wall of China. We wonder, "What if I run of ideas? What if I can't hit my word count? What if it's just bad?" I battle these questions every time I sit down to write. And I find the discipline of editing out my weak words and pruning extraneous material equally daunting.

Some days, writing just feels like work.

Historian and author Will Durant encourages us to keep writing with these words.

When I don't want to write, when I feel inadequate or overwhelmed, the simple act of putting fingers to the keyboard and tapping out one word at a time—even the bad ones—puts me one step closer to habit and one step closer to excellence.

Are you pursuing excellence in your writing? Are you willing to commit the time and effort required? I hope so, because in this world of clamor and chaos, your voice matters.