I could sit here and write a dozen posts telling you all the different ways you can get yourself to write when you’re struggling to do so. And honestly, most of that advice would probably work for a lot of readers. I’ve done plenty of that over the years, and I don’t plan on stopping. But we all know the truth: Sometimes, you just can’t write. And how are you supposed to deal with that?
Life Happens — You’re Not Failing
Even I used to believe that “not writing” when you “could” or “should” be writing was some kind of failure. But it isn’t. In the real world — where I now thankfully live as an adult with actual life experience — hobbies, and even work, can’t always come first. Every day is unpredictable, and productivity is never guaranteed.
Life happens, and sometimes that means writing can’t. You’re booked, you’re tired, someone or something else has taken priority over your book or article or whatever your work in progress is. And there’s nothing you can do but accept that reality. You’re not failing because you’re not writing. You’re living your life, even when writing has to take a back seat to everything else for a while.
Your Best Writing Can’t Be Forced
There are absolutely times you can and will “force” yourself to write — usually it’s more of a “forced start” situation, where writing wasn’t the problem; getting yourself to sit down and do it was. But in the long-term, there will be plenty of times forcing yourself to write simply won’t be an option.
I dealt with an unexpected family situation earlier this year that took me away from everything for a while, including my writing projects. If I had tried to sit down and write anything during that time, it would have all had to get thrown out later. You are a person, not a machine! Which means that sometimes when things get chaotic, your capacity for creativity and focus will plummet. It’s not you. It’s your world, and you have to deal with the chaos around you before you can make good art.
If It Matters to You, You’ll Find Your Way Back Someday
Every time I have to set aside my personal writing for one reason or another, my biggest fear is always that I’ll never pick it back up again. But I’ve learned a valuable lesson in facing those fears: If it really means something to you, you will find your way back to it. It becomes a part of you when it’s meant to be. You’ll never truly lose it. It will always be there, waiting until you’re ready for it.
Writing is not a race, or a competition, or a timer ticking down to zero. Every successful writer works in productive segments with pauses in-between — the lengths of those gaps don’t matter in the end. You’re on your own timeline here. It will get done. You have to be patient, and know when it’s time to walk away — even if only for a little while.
Meg Dowell Writes 