Writers are masters of excuses. We come up with all sorts of awesome reasons we should
do be doing everything but writing. If most of us were
half as good at writing as we are at excusing ourselves, the world be blessed
with landslides of great literature. Today, let’s consider some of our most common writing
excuses, when they’re true, when they’re not, and how to get past them.
Is it true? Maybe
so, maybe no. But the will to write is more important than any amount of talent. Commitment is
more important than talent. Determination is more important than talent.
Smash it!
Although it’s important to realistically assess your skill level, what’s
more important is having the guts and grit to keep at it, keep learning, keep
improving. Talent isn’t what ultimately matters in this game.
2. The odds of being published are too high.
Is it true? The
odds are high these days. Traditional
houses are hurting, and they’re taking fewer risks as a result. On the other hand, independent publishing
gives any writer the opportunity of seeing his work in print, but seeing it sell and sell well is still a long shot.
Smash it! In the
immortal words of Han Solo, “Never tell me the odds!” Agented writers are being
signed to fat traditional contracts and indie authors are selling thousands of
copies every single day. Yeah, the odds are high. But they’re only impossible
if you never give the game a go.
3. I’m too exhausted/stressed/wired.
Is it true? Are
you exhausted, stressed, wired, pained, or feeling less than physically perfect? Probably.
Are you too exhausted, stressed,
wired, or pained to write? Probably not.
Smash it! If you
let your body or your emotional state rule your life, you’ll never get anything
done. Writing ain’t for wimps. If you’re serious about writing, you have to
buck up, sit down, and write on through your discomfort.
4. Taking time to write makes me feel guilty.
Is it true? Your
feeling of guilt is undoubtedly real. But whether it’s justified is another
question altogether.
Smash it! If you
choose to make writing a priority, you will inevitably have to
give up other things. Sometimes those things will be important. But once you’ve
made the decision to devote a certain amount of your day to writing, don’t
allow yourself to be guilted out of it. If you don’t treat your writing like a priority, it won’t be.
5. Fiction offers nothing of value to the world.
Is it true?
Absolutely not. Art, in all its forms, is the expression of humanity. It is
the record of our lives. It is the exploration of the deep and never-ending
questions of our existence. It is our soul-deep communication with one another.
Writing changes lives.
Smash it! Just
because fiction is entertainment doesn’t mean it has to have an empty-calorie effect on
the world. When you sit down at the computer and start typing, you’re wielding
untold power. Use it responsibly, use it honestly—and never discount it.
6. People will ridicule my writing and me as a writer.
Is it true?
Perhaps. Non-writers often have a difficult time understanding what we do and
why. Some people will scorn your work for any number of reasons (which can
include their own ignorance and insecurity).
Smash it! One of
the chief requirements of surviving as a writer is a thick skin. If you’re
worried about what people think, become a roofer. Hard knocks come with the
business. Learn to smile and let the bitter words roll right off you.
7. Writing is too hard.
Is it true? Writing is
hard, no question. Sometime it’s bone-bustingly, mind-numbingly, soul-wrenchingly
hard.
Smash it! Watch
out for that word “too.” Spelled backwards and spoken out of the side of your
mouth, it means you’re giving up out of weakness and laziness. When the going
gets tough, gird your loins and battle on through. It’s the only way to make it—in
writing and in life.
8. My life is too boring to provide interesting material.
Is it true? Sitting at a computer eight
hours out of the day doesn’t generally lend itself to wild life experiences. Not all writers can (or want to) live life on the edge.
Smash it! The tortured
author stereotype is just that. You’re not limited to writing what you know,
only what you can imagine—and that goes for life experiences as much as
anything.
9. I need to learn more about how to write.
Is it true? Probably.
There’s always more to learn. No one masters an art form. Even were you to prove
prodigy enough to master all the variables of the craft, the very nature of art
means it’s always evolving. Every book you write is going to be a new adventure, full of
new trials.
Smash it!
Although studying the craft is important, it’s no replacement for on-the-job
experience. The best way to learn how to write a book is to write one. Keep
reading those how-to books, but don’t let that keep you from hammering the
keyboard.
10. There are too many distractions.
Is it true? Life
is full of distractions. The dog needs to go outside. The kids need to be fed.
The day job needs to be tended to. Sometimes it all gets to be so overwhelming,
all you want to do is scream.
Smash it! Did you
notice that “too” word again? Sometimes we can’t control the distractions in
our lives. But we can control our
responses to them. Set up personal boundaries, write schedules, or, better yet,
learn to write right on through the
distractions.
There are always going to be moments and
circumstances that intrude on our writing with an inexorable force we can’t ignore. But, most of the time, the only thing keeping us from our writing is ourselves.
Excuses are like termites. Give one or two the opportunity to thrive, and
before you know it, they’ll have eaten through the very foundation of your
determination and creativity. Grab the bug spray and the flyswatter, and start
smashing!
Tell me your opinion: What is your most common excuse for not writing—and how do you smash it?
Related Posts: Making the Time to Write
The Good News? Writing Never Gets Any Easier
Maintaining Your Enthusiasm Until the Book Is Completed
_________________
Click the “Play” button to Listen to Audio Version (or subscribe to the Wordplay podcast in iTunes).
Tell me your opinion: What is your most common excuse for not writing—and how do you smash it?
Related Posts: Making the Time to Write
The Good News? Writing Never Gets Any Easier
Maintaining Your Enthusiasm Until the Book Is Completed
_________________
Click the “Play” button to Listen to Audio Version (or subscribe to the Wordplay podcast in iTunes).
Story by K.M. Weiland
Tags: fear , Feature , Inspiration , procrastination , Writing Life
'I can't write! It is too lovely outside. I hope it will be easier in the winter...otherwise I will be doomed to failure.'
These are the words I wrote, yesterday, on my blog! So it's number 10...eveytime!
All those excuses sound far TOO familiar... Sometimes being TOO hard on yourself can also prevent you from writing. I can remember thinking, "I've never been able to write 2000 words per day consistently. How can I ever hope to be a professional?" I got so wrapped up in my ability to fail that I seized up so that I couldn't write. What helped me was realizing that this attitude did not make me less of a writer. Often professionals struggle with motivation. Harlan Ellison admits that he will do anything to avoid the work. Dust or something. The good news is that the fear of merely watching the cursor blink is much worse than the reality. If you just sit down and start typing, eventually (maybe in 10 minutes, maybe in 4 hours) a momentum builds and you don't want to get up.
I've heard many excuses in the years I have been attending writers' groups and weekends and such. But the most common by far is not quite "I can't write" but "I can't write yet because..." and there is a huge list that comes after this phrase including;
I've had my baby; My baby has started school; The school holidays are over; My child has left school; My child has left home, got married, had a grandchild, got divorced and moved back home, left home again and so on.
I'm not sure why people create mental barriers for themselves, perhaps a psychologist could answer that one. The only thing I can think of is maybe they don't have a strong enough desire to write otherwise they would, or maybe they are afraid of doing something for themselves.
All I can think is, if someone wants to write enough, they will pull down the barriers and write.
@Wendy: I have to admit, there are days when I find myself feeling ridiculously guilty for staying inside and writing on nice days instead of going out to enjoy the weather. Of course, that's what they invented laptops for, right?
@Sam: It's interesting that this thing we love more than anything else in the world is also one of the most difficult things for us to actually make ourselves do.
@Christopher: Totally agree. Writers write. If you are a writer, you'll find a a way, sooner or later.
Actually my excuse for not writing much in the past four months are great ones...my husband had another heart attack, his 5th,and I had a stroke leaving me paralyzed on my predominant right side. This being said I have slowed my typing speed down to look and peck with one hand (imagine quotation marks and caps)is now 10 wpm instead of 80. My stroke left me with impaired cognitive skills like spelling and sequencing. But to show you it can be done...I've started a new nonfiction a humorous look stroke rehab tentatively titled "Don't Get Your Panties in a Wad." I have no idea when it will be finished since I'm still in rehab Four hours outpatient and Fifteen hours a week at home trying to regain much of what I lost. I average about 500 to 1000 words a week instead of 50K to 75K a month.
Who cares if it's golden when you first write it...that's what editing and editors are for. I recently pulled all my books off the Kindle Shelves at Amazon for reformatting. I kept getting low reviews because of it. Of course that was days before my stroke and still waiting in the wings because that really takes two hands. Of course the e-versions are also available via smashwords and their distributors...those versions read fine.
To steal Nike's ad line...Just Do It. If writing is your desire and is it is in your eat, breathe, and sleep mode then that's my advise to all. When I was in college full time, had a full time job, a part time job, AND had four children running around the house I used to get up an hour earlier or stayed up an hour later just to write.
You're an inspiration! I'm so sorry to hear about your (and your husband's) health difficulties. But you're living proof that "writers write." We all have to overcome obstacles, large and small, to write. If you can do what you're doing, then those of us with lesser difficulties have *no* excuse not to get it done.
Wow. JL made me feel guilty. I've been pretty sick lately, but nothing like that. She is an inspiration.
Don't feel guilty. We all have different life obstacles and goals. Sometimes life priorities demand we put writing onto the back burner, and that's a lot different from making up excuses out of fear or laziness.
@JL: Your story made me realize how fortunate I am that my only real barriers to writing are ones I volunteered for. Keep going!
~~~~~~~
Lately, it's having to catch up on Kant. If that man wrote sentences that didn't need to be diagramed, I'd have a lot more time to write. (Key to reading the Critique of Pure Reason: read the beginning of the sentence up to the first clause, skip to the end and read from wherever the final clause ends, then read the clauses in order. Don't worry, there won't be more than five embedded clauses in any given sentence. Also, skip every instance of "indeed," which Kant seems to think is required at least three times per page.)
Sounds like How to Read Kant for Dummies. ;) Would also apply to Faulkner, methinks...
I love this article most of all because of the "no talent" and the "I need to learn more" sections. How many times have we heard "you have to be born a writer" and "you can't learn to be a writer"? I believe if that were truly the case, there wouldn't be so many "how to" books. Having said that, my most common excuse for not writing is - I don't have one. I do, however, have one really big FEAR and that is that my writing won't be good enough. It plagues me 24/7. Yup, even when I'm sleeping. How do I smash it? Well, I think about how I would feel if I didn't write my story. That scares me even more.
I'm fond of telling people (and myself) to "write scared." If something about our writing isn't frightening us (whether it's the skill level required, the subject matter, or the baring of our souls), we're probably not pushing ourselves as hard as we should. A certain amount of fear keeps us honest. It's a good sign, not a bad one! So just keep battling right on through.
#3 and #10 would probably be my problems. I loved how you quoted Han Solo. "Never tell me the odds." Awesome!
this post is about me, I'm an expert at procrastination, because I don't have five kids, two jobs and three mortgages,- too much time on my hands :)))
Weather is the biggest distraction at the moment, sunny days in London are so rare, so I just go sunbathe and swim, instead of writing (I do a bit of it in the evening):)
But I don't blame anyone but myself, all my shortcomings are caused by me and no one else :)
Accepting yourself (as an imperfect human being) and controlling your emotions and being disciplined are very important things for achieving success, I blogged about it recently, - it seems like a universal problem for many people
@Julie: Can't go wrong with a Han Solo reference. ;)
@Grigory: There's great importance in "accepting ourselves as imperfect human beings." Sometimes we just need to come to grips with our faults. Ignoring them, denying them, or bashing ourselves for them often does little good. The first step to conquering a problem is acknowledging it head on - and accepting it.
My excuse is my job.. and unfortunately, in my circumstances, the job does take precedence...
I do try to at least get some story ideas thought out though, even if they never make it to the paper..
It's important to know your priorities. Writers often feel guilty for not writing (which is ironic, since we also feel guilty when we do!), but that guilt won't always be justified. What's importance is identifying your priorities and then sticking to them.
My favorite excuses for not writing are. "I can't write when the kids are home!" All summer I have not wrote very much at all because the kids were off of school. Also I use the excuse of "I need to do research!" I get absorbed in doing research (surfing the internet)and don't write my book.
The Internet can be a huge time black hole - even when we're using it for legitimate writing purposes. If I find my discipline going down the drain, sometimes I'll just have to shut the wireless down completely.
I use almost all of these for excuses!! It makes me sad.
It doesn't have to make you sad! ;)
The two I need to smash are writer envy ("That novel was so great. Why do I even bother?") and your Number 2, the odds. I'm doing better on the envy. And now you've reminded me of Han Solo's great line. I also just read another writer's take on the odds. Instead of being intimidated by the odds, her goal is to be one of those one percent who do get published. Love this post!
We all struggle with writer envy from time to time. The key is to turn it on its head, like the author you just mentioned. If we can be inspired by other authors' successes, instead of defeated by them, we all come out ahead.
Top 10 Excuses For Not Writing
10. I'm related to Fenimore Cooper.
9. I haven't bought a helmet.
8. I don't have a license.
7. I'm still imprisoned at the Chateau D'if.
6. I took the blue pill rather than the red pill.
5. Global warming.
4. I cannot find the special writing paper with the blue straight lines and the dashed lines in between.
3. NaNoWriMo only allows you to write during the month of November...No, really...It's in the small print...
2. Socrates said, "All I know is that I know nothing". My family has confirmed it is the same in my case.
1. I have not yet opened up my copy of "Outlining Your Novel" by the talented writer K.M. Wieland.
Actually we did get four of your books on Friday. My 3 kids are all creative but we are all "pantsers" and so rebelled against structure. We have notebooks filled with ideas and the first several pages of stories but that was where it always ended. We resolved we would do NaNoWriMo and compare word counts. So we are at least on the write..errrr..right path now. Kudos on your website. I discovered it while going through Amazon trying to compare outlining books. Keep up the good work!!!
Back when I was healthier and had a full time professional job I wished I had more time to write, and now that I'm on disability (depression,OCD,ADD and others)I have plenty of time to write. The depression is lifting, but the OCD and ADD get in the way. I have a plan in mind, but it's just implementing it.
I do believe I will prevail, however. And if I can, you can, too!
Good luck... and great post, K.M.!
There's always something, isn't there?
self-doubt, procrastination, fear, anxiety, exhaustion...
But when you have one of those days that feel amazing. You know the ones. The time when writing just seems to flow and come with free will. Well, it makes it all worth it :)
Matthew (Turndog Millionaire)
great list k.m., thanks!
am also enjoying the comments, esp liked one of your replies,
"If something about our writing isn't frightening us (whether it's the skill level required, the subject matter, or the baring of our souls), we're probably not pushing ourselves as hard as we should. A certain amount of fear keeps us honest. It's a good sign, not a bad one!"
Love this post! I have definitely fallen into the trap of not writing because of a couple of those factors. Motivated now to get back to my manuscript ;)
I've had to fight through just about all of those excuses at one time or another. Over the years I've started many novels, but quit when it got too hard, thinking that it wasn't supposed to be hard and that I was doing something wrong. The truth is that it IS hard, and I was doing something right. :) Gotta just push through. Great post!
I found myself making many of those excuses, and I stopped writing all together. I sort of forgot about it and forgot how much I actually enjoyed the writing process. This is great motivation to start again.
My former excuse ... I don't have time to write. (I work full time as a newspaper editor.) Well, my desire to write — and the enjoyment I get — overruled that excuse. Not only do I "find" the time, I can't imagine a day when I am home not writing or rewriting even for a short period of time.
@Steve: Okay, that had me laughing out loud from the first line! But, you're right - your excuses are a little harder to smash than the ones I discussed in the post. ;) I hope you enjoy Outlining Your Novel and find it useful!
@MDK: It is interesting how the life obstacles we deplore often end up giving us blessings we hadn't counted on. I have severe repetitive stress injuries in both wrists that, while not so fun in themselves, have forced me to get serious about my own priorities. As a result, they've indirectly relieved a lot of my unnecessary work load and allowed me to focus more time on my writing. Everything goes wrong just right!
@Matthew: Yowzah! Those are the days we're all living for. Those are the days we're glad we didn't procrastinate or excuse ourselves.
@Adan: Fear, like pain, is yet another effective tool if only we can figure out how to implement it.
@Sally: *snaps whip* ;)
@Dina: Just put down one word after another. Writing isn't so hard when you think of it that way. It's important for us to keep the big picture in mind, but, ultimately, all we have to focus on, on any given day, is the little stuff.
@Vanessa: I hope you do start writing again! Despite the heartache and the stress (often self-imposed!), there's nothing else like it.
@Joan: I'm fond of saying that we can't "find" time to write, we have to "make" it. Time will fill itself, usually with trivialities, if we let it. And there is almost always a spare hour somewhere in the day, if we're willing to cut out the non-essentials.
I've struggled with some health issues this year, and those have definitely dampened my creative energy. My day job has also picked up steam, which is a good thing, but I also start feeling guilty when my thoughts are drawn to my creative work. I'm currently working my way through Julie Cameron's "The Artist's Way" and forcing myself to recognize that I'm only at my best at everything else I do when I give myself time to write and create. Thanks for sharing this post. :)
Life is synergistic. Everything affects everything. Writing affects the rest of our life - and vice versa. Optimally, we need to have everything running at full speed to get the most out of our artistic endeavors.
I falsely tell myself that I need a block of time to get any writing done (in editing mode on my novel). Whenever I have said block of time something attacks and devours it (sickness, impromptu date night), I am in a constant battle. Sometimes I get tired and am not as ferocious in protecting my writing time. But soon I develop "the twitch" - that nervous energy that can't be settled till I get what's inside me out! (Suddenly inspired, I'm off to work on a new blog post).
Between the "twitch" and my own frustrated guilt whenever I let something invade my writing time, the incentive to keep writing is pretty strong. Hard to argue when you're being squeezed in a vice like that!
What a great list. My biggest problems are in the realm of your #s 3 and 4.
When I get home from my day job, I've got family and community responsibilities to attend to. By the time my "writing time" comes around I'm often drained physically, mentally or both to the point that even if I do force myself in front of the keyboard, I have a hard time getting anything to come.
Granted, there have been times (and these are the times that I keep pushing for) when I'm just "not feeling it" and I persevere anyway. Sometimes it takes an hour or two but when I finally "get into the groove", I'll find myself writing the way I wish I could always write. When those moments happen, they are so exhilarating that they get rid of any exhaustion and I often find myself writing far longer into the early morning hours than I intended.
I love that any excuse can easily be squashed. For me, it's just a matter of consistently squashing them and then letting my writer-self come shining through.
Consistency is really what it's all about. It's not so hard to squash any of these excuses every now and then. Being able to squash them every single day is where it gets tough. But perseverance and discipline will conquer them every single time.
I use ALL of those ALL the time (except #9, oddly.) My most frequent are #2 and #6--especially #6! I tend to feel my writing is unusual rather than "genre" and that people respond negatively to it. Then I feel hopeless . . . then I feel whiny. . . and then I can't write all day. :P
It's a proven fact: whiny writers just aren't as productive. ;) But sometimes simply acknowledging we're *making* excuses is the first step toward overcoming them.
My biggest excuse? "I don't have time to write!" A year ago, I never would have had a reason to utter those words. Now, it seems like I don't have enough hours in the day. I'm slowly learning to keep a schedule. It's not easy, but if I want to write fiction, I have to do it!
~L
Schedules are my best friends. They keep me organized, focused, and make me really analyze where my time goes. Plus, I love the satisfaction of checking items off my list!
THAT's discipline. Disconnecting is definitely the hardest thing for me to do, though necessary sometimes.
My biggest excuse for procrastination is "I'm biluilding my platform," which translates to social media and other marketing efforts. I wonder "Who am I writing for?" if I can't build an audience - but, of course, that's smashed by the reminder that if I don't write, I won't hone my skills to put out the best possible product when I DO have readers ready to read it.
The balance between businessperson and writer is a tricky one sometimes - because they can *both* be all-consuming if we let them. Schedules - again - are my secret weapon in that regard.
"The odds of being published are too high."
Wouldn't this be the odds of not being published? I'd be ecstatic if my odds of being published were high. :D
My personal problem is that I strive for perfection, which is impossible, so I get discouraged and that makes it difficult to continue writing. But I still endeavor to do so.
In this instance, I believe that's correct. If the odds are high, the chances are slim.
This is a great list! The best thing about it is that you give a positive reaction to the excuses - this is the only way forward. Great post! Thanks for writing it.
I feel it's important to acknowledge the power and possible validity of excuses. We can't just dismiss most of them out of hand. From there, we can start down the road toward finding a positive solution.
My number one excuse is: there's always tomorrow. The fact is, tomorrow never comes with anything more than another excuse. Best to put the fingers to the keyboard and type out that story. Besides, when you do finish that story, it adds a bounce to your step and a song in your heart.
The only excuse that seems to apply to me these days is #3.
It's the only one that gets any traction. I work long hours and I have a 2 yo little girl who, while being the sunshine in my day, needs a lot of energy from me and my wife. Once she's down and the daily chores are done, I can hardly think and I'm only a short while from bed.
I don't have a good strategy to fight that, other than sheer willpower which is in short supply some days. Sometimes I win and write, sometimes I lose and sleep.
The best way I found to get around it is to try and write in the morning or at lunch. This isn't always possible, but when it is, my head is clearer.
I'm also aiming to just write a few words a day right now, not my usual 2000 words. The 2K days will come back eventually as long as I just keep writing.
@Traci: Couldn't have said it better. We know how trusting to tomorrow turned out for Scarlett O'Hara!
@Frank: If you're fighting just one excuses, you're way ahead of the pack. And that *is* a hard one to fight. But just keep at it. If you're persistent, doors will open and opportunities will arise.
Like so many people, I run out of time to write. Most of the time it's because I waste the little in-between times on Facebook or taking an extra long lunch break or putting my homework off. O.o Even between studying and work, if I used all my time well I would have a block of it for writing. It's just that it's easier said than done...
Much easier said than done! FB, lunch breaks, and putting off homework is often way more fun than those first terrifying moments of sitting down to write. Being a writer takes bravery.
Recognize many of these excuses. Number 11 on my list, as if I needed another, would be that nagging old criticism by a family member about my work. SLOWLY getting over that one and chipping away at the others. Forcing myself to find a balace between writing, educating myself in the craft and being followers of great posts like this one is keeping the writing flow active.
thank you for your effort and generosity. By far the best advices on writing i've ever encountered. Like in AA, only a person who've been through all that madness can help those, who are just starting the journey.
@Amy: Getting rid of the negative voices in our heads is tough. Writers, for the most part, are a bundling bag if insecurities. We just have to fight on past, grit our teeth, and write anyway. Eventually, the voices will go away if we don't give them any credence.
@Anonymous: That's one of the reasons I so enjoy reading about other writers' processes. Nothing is more encouraging that realizing even the most well-known authors go through similar struggles and insecurities.
Very well written and well said. Writing passion and commitment is a way to successful writing...As a new blogger, I know how does writing commitment make wonders...
Commitment can get us through any number of lesser trials and flaws. So long as we can keep gritting our teeth and pushing onward, that's all that matters in the end.
KM - I know you have already responded a few times, but I just wanted to add my two cents. I was one of those writers that didn't write. It really does exist, where you know this is what you want to do, but the fear of failure literally prevents you from writing anything down. Also,I would get overwhelmed with all of my to-do's, that sitting down to write seemed like such an unreachable goal.
I have overcome that fear recently by reading your blog and your Outlining book, and I also read other books on writing. It's great to know so many writers have the same fears, but you keep going. I also took some advice, and created a schedule for myself. Now, I added 'writing' as part of my to-do list, which helps. I'm working on my outline now, and even if I haven't gotten to the actual writing part, I'm very proud of myself for being on track.
I'm so glad to hear you're finding and creating a writing process that works for you! Both the easiest and the most difficult part of becoming a writer is to just do it. Once we master that much, all the rest comes much easier.
I would like to add another argument against point 5 "Fiction offers nothing of value to the world". I read an article that spoke about how reading fiction raises your Emotional Intelligence! Imagine what writing it does!! Thank you for the very interesting post. At the moment I visit every one of the above points, but the needs push harder than the arguments pull.
Sounds like an interesting article. Do you remember where you read it?
I'm 73 years old. I've finished the 1st draft of a fantasy novel, am barely beginning on the second one, which I plan to start via NANOWRIMO in Nov. I can't imagine a traditional publisher spending money on a writer who might not live another 20+ years.
Don't give up. Age won't stop the pull of a good story. Many an older writer has gone on to success.
I have attached two links re the article on Emotional Intelligence, plus one quote from the first article. Don't you love it when science catches up to our natural intuition?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/sep/07/reading-fiction-empathy-study
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/01/the_business_case_for_reading.html
"The current research suggests that books give readers more than an opportunity to tune out and submerge themselves in fantasy worlds. Books provide the opportunity for social connection and the blissful calm that comes from becoming a part of something larger than oneself for a precious, fleeting moment," Gabriel and Young write.
Yet another good reason art is never a waste of time.