“Why am I not getting any writing done?”

There it is. The question we hate asking ourselves, but end up asking anyway. Way, way too often.

There are a LOT of reasons why you’re not getting any writing done, and most of the time, it’s probably because you’re letting yourself make too many excuses.

This ends now.

Your career goals are here, and they have some advice and tough love for you. They’re not as nice as we are. So be prepared.

I’m tired

This is basically our excuse for everything we don’t feel like doing. That doesn’t make it any more justifiable.

Your future writing career says: Of course you’re tired. Feeling tired means one of two things: either you’re working really hard and feeling those effects – which is normal – or you’re staying up too late because of your Netflix addiction (or something like that). If it’s the former, just push through it. Take breaks and do the absolute best you can. Take care of yourself. If it’s the latter? You need to seriously rethink your priorities.

I’m “blocked”

We’ve all tried this one. You’re not “in the mood,” so therefore you couldn’t possibly sit down and write anything today. No way.

Your future writing career says: No, you’re not. There is no such thing. You are just looking for an excuse not to write, and it’s a far too widely accepted one. If you’re feeling “blocked,” it’s because there is something keeping you from sitting still and focusing long enough to get your writing done. Put your phone down and start writing, whether you “feel” like it or not.

I need a break

After a long stretch of work and dealing with other responsibilities, it’s very tempting to use “needing a break” as an excuse for not writing.

Your future writing career says: If you haven’t figured it out yet, you will eventually come to the realization that if you want writing to be your career, you’re going to have to work. Hard. As important as taking breaks are, you have to fit rest into your schedule. That doesn’t mean you can just stop working. You have to keep writing anyway. If it’s not in your schedule, no break.

I don’t have anything to write about

You’ve been staring at that blank screen for way too long. It’s official: you have nothing to write about. Or do you?

Your future writing career says: You probably do. You just haven’t learned how to shift your mental focus to something you can “force” yourself to write about for awhile. You don’t know what to write about? Write about the weather. Your childhood. About not knowing what to write about. If you can’t come up with an idea … it’s because you’re not looking hard enough. Go write.

I’m too busy

You have school. You have work. You have to run errands, you have plans, you’re a parent, sibling, offspring, clown. Whatever. You’re just too busy to write.

Your future writing career says: Oh, are you? Well, here are some tips for getting writing done during the week. And here are some tips for getting writing done for the weekend. Here are some tips for getting writing done over Thanksgiving, because for some reason, that’s still apparently relevant to the Internet in February (you all click on that article every day, what is WRONG with you?). You’re not too busy to write. If you really want it, you’ll make time. Otherwise, stop complaining.

You can do this. No more excuses. Tweet #NoMoreExcuses to us with your go-to writing excuse and how you’re going to get writing done anyway.

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