Writing takes a lot out of you. Writing a novel is no easy task, and makes huge demands on your time and energy. I wish there was a way to log the hours I spend just thinking through my story, without even getting into the time I spend with my head in a notebook or my hands on a keyboard. It’s definitely a full-time job.
When life itself becomes complicated, uncertain, heavy, and exhausting, it takes a toll on my writing life. In the midst of these troubled times, when many of us don’t have any idea what life will look like next week, somehow, we have to find ways to keep calm and carry on. But with all these new demands on our minds and emotions, we all know how easily writing can fall through the cracks.
But I know and you know we can’t stop writing. We can’t give up on what brings us joy and satisfaction just because it’s harder than usual. So, what should we do about it? I hope to offer a morale boost as well as share with you some practical tips on dealing with discouragement, overwhelm, and artistic frustration in your writing when life gets hard.
I want to ask you something. It’s kind of a personal question, but why are you writing at all? Answers will vary. Maybe you have a beautiful message of hope and courage the world needs to hear. Maybe you’ve created a fascinating world in your mind and you want to invite others to explore it. Maybe you have a cast of crazy characters partying in your brain who just can’t wait to get out and change society for the better. Never mind the specifics, what you must have as a writer is a passion that drives your work. Take some time to identify it. That’s your secret weapon.
You’re not just a writer. You’re a beacon of light. The world needs your story, and if you think about it, you know why. But even with that deeper reason to press on, sometimes your mind is just too exhausted to produce anything. I’ve recently had this go on for days at a time. But I’m learning how to cope with it.
One way is to switch to another project. Not just another writing project, but something else altogether. Writing shouldn’t be all you do. I’ve found that switching to drawing when I’m stuck in my writing can be refreshing and a good way to shake the doldrums that can set in when I’ve been staring at a blinking curser for too long. If you’re one of those people who claims they have only one talent, cut that out. You don’t either. Sure, you might not be as good at other things, but you could definitely improve and enjoy them if you tried. Find some hobbies. This is a great time to do that. Branch out and find other ways to let out your creativity and get in touch with your playful side. Believe me, you’ll surprise yourself.
Sometimes I feel like I’ve just kind of lost touch with a writing project. One of the best and simplest ways to get back into it is to read back over what you’ve written so far. Dive into your world with both feet, observe your characters, feel the rhythm of the plot. Give yourself permission to edit some of it, even. Don’t get carried away, but just restructuring a sentence here and there can give you the feeling of being in control of what you create again, and hope that you do, in fact, know how to improve it. Sometimes you can trick yourself into writing again if you do this enough.
Another tactic is to try writing about your project. Don’t write the book itself, open up a fresh document, or a notebook or journal and just start writing about it. You could write about where you think you’re stuck or what feelings are holding you back from going on, or you could do what I’ve found to be especially inspiring, which is to look at it more from the outside. Try writing an analysis of one of your favorite characters or subplots and talk about how you’ve woven in the themes and your imagery. This is how I convince myself that my story actually makes some sense or is genuinely interesting.
Maybe you feel like your writing is weak or missing something. First off, it probably isn’t as bad as you think, and second, you’re probably right. Improvement is always an option. Grab some writing books or find a YouTube channel for authors and learn something new. Take notes, and try to identify the areas where you think you could get better. I recently started watching Abbie Emmons’ channel and her emphasis on using inner conflict to drive the plot finally really clicked for me. Look out Nightstare. You’re going to be the strongest Dronefall book yet.
Finally, remember it’s okay to rest. You’re not an unbreakable machine in a word factory pumping out perfect novels seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year. That’s not the goal of an author. You don’t have to beat out 10,000 words a day every day. Give yourself days off. Take time to enjoy life, even when you haven’t hit your writing goals for the week. Dream about your book, brainstorm, play around with wacky possibilities and unlikely alternatives for your plot as you chill out on your porch swing or play fetch with your dog. Sometimes things just take time. Life can be overwhelming. Don’t force the joy out of writing by having unrealistic expectations for yourself.
I hope something on this little list is helpful to you if you find yourself discouraged over your writing today. I’ll have to keep it around to remind myself sometimes. Stress and chaos can drag you down and depressing turns of events in the world really do have effect on creativity. But there are ways to keep your spirits up ad keep writing. So, remember why you write, and keep shining in the dark.