When writing slows down, let’s carry on.

Blank Screen Days

Confession: I love writing with all my heart, but sometimes it’s the hardest thing to do.

I wake up determined. Determined to work on my stories. Determined to sit in front of my laptop for as long as it takes. Determined to make progress.

I start writing the next scene, write a few lines, and read them again. I decide I don’t like them and delete them.

This cycle repeats throughout the day, and continues for a few more days. By the end of the week, I have nothing to show for my efforts.

No words, no scenes, nothing.

I end up feeling upset, dejected, and like a failure.

Fantasy Versus Reality

When reading blogs or social media posts, I often come across content that portray writers as the ones who are clicking away on their laptops or scribling furiously in their notebooks – always on writing mode.

In reality, writers do procrastinate. We doubt ourselves and our writing. We even go through imposter syndrome.

Sometimes we get emotionally exhausted from life’s challenges and that makes it dificult to focus on our writing.

The truth is, I have gone through these kinds of days. I’m going through it right now.

This is reality.

And reality bites.

When Life Takes A Toll

Life is not blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and rainbows every day.

There are days when lemons rain down from the sky. Sometimes it takes a little time to decide what to do with them. Lemonade? Hot lemon tea? Lemon chicken? Sometimes we just need time to find the answers.

There are days when financial concerns, job insecurity, life transitions, and worries about the future can take a toll on our mental well-being. This, in turn, can affect our creativity and ability to write.

If we’re lucky, it only takes a little time before we get back into the rhythm of writing again. But there are times when days turn into weeks, and even months, before we are able to write something substantial again.

When this happens, it can feel like life’s questions and troubles are competing with the unfinished article, story, or manuscript on our to-do list. And quite often, the concerns in our minds take precedence over any creative projects.

The Writing Dilemma

Sometimes I find myself staring at a blank screen, willing the words to flow from my brain to my fingers and onto the screen, but… nada. Absolutely nothing.

It’s not that I don’t want to write. I have all these ideas and plot twists circulating in my mind. And it’s not a simple case of writer’s block either. There is so much on my mind that putting it into written words feels like yet another task on an already long list.

When that happens, the heart feels guilt and disappointment, and the mind feels heavy. Then the dreaded question pops up in my head:

“If I am a writer, why can’t I write?”

And when this goes for a long time, the unproductive days made me feel like a failure for calling myself a writer. After all, if I was meant to write, shouldn’t it come naturally?

Letting Go, Moving Forward

But over time, I’ve learnt that this is normal, and nothing out of the ordinary.

I realised that writing was not just about finishing chapters, publishing articles, or focusing on word-count goals.

I may not be able to write the way I should, but I can do other things that support my writing process and goals.

It could be making mental notes, writing down ideas, journalling, doing research, reading, observing people, or even just editing finished stories. All these activities complement the creative process.

Learning From Downtime

When things quieten down on the writing front, there are other things happening in the background that we may not realise.

During this quiet period, we writers have the opportunity to learn and develop empathy, patience, humility, resilience, and a deeper understanding of struggles.

This period in time may be the best time for us to gather material for future writing, through observations and experiences.

Trusting the Process

Writing is life, but sometimes there are more significant things that happen in life.

These events may make it difficult for words to flow from brain to paper or screen — and that’s ok.

As Heraclitus put it, change is the only constant in life.

And I take it to heart, letting go of anxiety, fear, and feelings of failure as I accept this phase of my life.

I know it’s only a passing phase. In time, I will find my rhythm again and my words will once more flow from my mind to my fingers and onto the page.

Soon, very soon.

See I’m all about them words
Over numbers, unencumbered numbered words
Hundreds of pages, pages, pages for words
More words then I had ever heard and I feel so alive

You and I Both – Jason Mraz