I’m rather fond of putting together jigsaw puzzles. This Christmas my friend Sally and I started on a puzzle while she was visiting. She had to leave before it was finished. I’m still working on it, and enjoying even the frustration of dealing with a piece that MUST go in a specific place but of course doesn’t.
So why does the same experience when I’m writing drive me to chocolate?
I’ve thought about this a lot. I love having written, but the process is often so painful I avoid it for days. As I was trying to fit a piece into the puzzle where it clearly didn’t want to go, it suddenly occurred to me that when I’m assembling a jigsaw there is the promise of getting it right. I have a picture to follow that is accurate, and when I’m finished I will be rewarded. That’s not the case with writing. Oh, I have a picture in my head of where I want the story to go, and sometimes even an outline. That doesn’t mean I’ll get it right. My characters, unlike the jigsaw pieces, morph in mid-sentence without permission. The plot that clicked in place like beads on an abacus suddenly loops around into a tangled coil of unconnected events. Even if I can thrash the story into submission, I don’t always get the reward of knowing I got it right when I type The End. Nevertheless, the puzzle of writing is addictive, because one of these days I just know I’m going to solve it.
Luck and wisdom!
Lani Longshore's Blog 
Define what makes your writing “right.” Many authors just use time. Jake Tapper was asked how he managed to write a book and manage his career and family. He said he decided he could write for 15 minutes a day. Keep it simple
Getting it “right” is the assurance that the story is good. With a jigsaw, I know I’m right when all the pieces fit. With my own stories, even if I’m happy with what I wrote there’s still this nagging question of whether the story is good.
I’ve been picking my way through a puzzle my family started over Christmas and had similar thoughts about the writing process. Some days frustration sets in when it takes forever to find a few pieces that fit together. The frustration is same on bad writing days. Other days the pieces slide right in, and I celebrate with a Woohoo! and an “I’m the puzzle master.” I celebrate good writing days too. Here’s to a year filled with good writing days and a plethora of celebrations.