Should You Force Yourself to Write?

When writers ask me for my one, surefire, absolute best piece of writing advice, my prompt answer is, “Write every day.” By that, I mean establish a consistent writing schedule and stick to it, come hurricane or heartburn. Don’t feel like writing today? Doesn’t matter, write anyway. Sick as a dog today? Write anyway. Hate your story today? Phooey. Just write. But should you force yourself to write?

Is that really the best idea after all?

As important as consistency and discipline are in the success of any author, there’s also a sometimes contrary truth we must all be aware of: Sitting down to write, in itself, isn’t enough.

We also have to be excited about every single thing we write. The power of good fiction arises from the passion of the author. Without that passion, writing not only becomes drudgery, it’s also bound to produce less than stellar results.

Should You Force Yourself to Write When You’re Bored?

We all have days when sitting down at the computer and opening our manuscripts is only slightly more appealing than scraping spider eggs out of the corner of the ceiling. But aren’t those the days when we should be disciplined enough to force ourselves to write? Otherwise, what good is this whole line about “writing every day”? If we write only when we’re excited about writing, then where do discipline and consistency fit in?

There’s a difference between not wanting to write because we’re lazy and not wanting to write because, deep down, we’re not in love with our story idea. Sometimes we’re just plain going to be running on an empty inspirational tank.

Whenever you feel an inner resistance to writing, stop and ask yourself why?

In Creating Characters, Dwight V. Swain offers one possible reason:

The answer is that your story no longer stimulates you, excites you…. There can be all sorts of reasons. But one of the most common is that you’ve drawn too much from the well without refilling. The well, of course, is your own head. Your brain. Your consciousness. Your imagination. You’ve drained it of things that interest and intrigue you. Or, to put it another way, you’ve used the same story elements too often: the same ideas, the same settings, the same twists and compilations, the same characters.

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Should You Force Yourself to Write When the Story Idea Is Unformed?

Your problem might also be that your story simply isn’t ready to be written. I’ve learned to be careful not to write stories too soon. Even just scribbling down a summary too soon can stunt a story’s growth. Most of my stories brew in my brain for years before I finally get the sense that they’re ready for the page.

In The Making of a Writer, Gail Godwin concurs:

There is also something … which might be called a neurosis—that is, I feel positively repelled by the thought of writing at certain times. This could be that the material has not “jelled” in the subconscious & that I am pushing things.

Recognizing Legitimate Reasons Not to Write

Running on empty and attempting to write a story too soon (or without proper preparation) are both legitimate reasons not to write. As writers, we must tune in to our bodies and our emotions. On the whole, writing should be a joyous, thrilling, wonderful experience. When we think about our stories, we should soar. If we don’t, we need to take a good hard look at why.

Gail Godwin again:

Before I began to write tonight, I experienced an almost overwhelming loathing for my project. It took sheer will to throw me into that “once upon a time.” I think one main drawback is that I never think it’s going to be good enough, but ours is only the trying & [sic] you forsake your vision at the peril of your soul.

Recognizing Illegitimate Reasons Not to Write

Don’t get me wrong. Stories are undeniably hard work. Sometimes they’re downright depressing when we compare the glorious thing in our imaginations with the tawdry imitation we end up producing on the page. But the work, the inevitable disillusionment, nor our own sheer terror should take away from the glory of the story.

In a Writer’s Digest interview with Jessica Strawser, Chris Cleave said:

Make sure you’re excited about your work. When you research a story, it should feel like, It will be devastating for me if I don’t make this story as exciting as I know it can be. You should get up every day and think, If I’m not super excited about the 2,000 words I’m going to do today, how can I make it so I am super excited? It should never feel like a chore. If it ever gets boring, the reader can tell. You need to put the pen down and change something, and not come back to the desk until you’re excited about the line or chapter you’re about to write.

Recognize the difference between being unexcited about the daily toil of wordcraft and being unexcited about the story as a whole. The former is something to fight through relentlessly. The latter is something to be recognized and examined.

Wordplayers, tell me your opinions! Should you force yourself to write? What do you think? Tell me in the comments!

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