Perseverance: When We Don’t Feel Like Writing

Let’s be real. We’re not always going to “feel” like writing.

We’re going to be tired. We’ll be busy and have other things to do. If you’re like me, you’ll realize it’s suddenly really important to wash the dishes and maybe reorganize something while you’re at it. (I’m never so motivated to do housework than when I have something else I’m trying to avoid doing. 😉 )

And I’ll be honest: sometimes I’m just feeling downright lazy. I’m comfortable chillin’ on the couch doing mindless quizzes online and I don’t want to do my daily wordcount for nanowrimo or have to think about anything at all.

So what do we do when we don’t feel like writing?

And that is the question, isn’t it? Because *no* writer always feels like writing.

Writing can be frustrating and hard sometimes. We’re not alone in our moments of procrastination and laziness.

Ironically, it’s what we do in these moments when we don’t feel like writing that defines us as writers. Because (drumroll please…) writers write.

This is what separates those who dabble in writing with those who are writers. The decision to write, whether we feel like it or not, is what makes us writers.

This is what will lead to artistic improvement, completion of projects, and eventual success.

Sometimes we talk about certain successful writers as if they possess something we other poor mortals don’t have. They’re “gifted” and “lucky” and obviously far above our level. And hey, I’m not saying they’re not amazing at what they do.

But I’d suggest the most important quality for writers is perseverance. Because when we don’t quit, eventually we’ll reach our goals.

What defines us are the Mondays and Tuesdays when we’re tired and cranky.

The Wednesdays and Thursdays when we’re frantically busy.

The Fridays and Saturdays when we don’t want to think about anything serious.

The Sundays when we realize it’s time to do it all again.

Will we decide to write?

These are the times that show what’s really important to us. When our priorities get tested.

Because there will always be something else to do.

It doesn’t matter if we’re behind on our wordcount (hang in there, nanowrimo-ers, and keep up the good work!). It doesn’t matter if we only have twenty minutes before we need to go make dinner. Sometimes we’ll only get five minutes during lunch. I’ve been there. (Sometimes I live there 😉 )

There’s no guilt or shame here.

Sometimes we need to take a break and that isn’t wrong.

What matters is that we keep going. We won’t be perfect but we don’t give up and we don’t surrender to fear. (And if we do give up, we don’t give up forever.)

We don’t believe the lies that say we can’t do it.

Because we can do it.

As Neil Gaiman said, “This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard.”

The words we write may not be any good today. But when we write them down anyways they make room for more to come.

Let’s press on.

Let’s sit ourselves down with our notebooks and computers and let’s write some words. Maybe we’ll write a little and maybe we’ll write a lot, but either way it’s a victory!

Wherever you are in your writing today, may you keep up the good work and continue on! You are amazing and brave! I wish you strength and perseverance on your journey. 🙂