A Simple Way to Stop Dreading Your Writing Time
“I love writing fiction. So, why do I also dread it?”
Do you feel like there’s a giant weight on your chest when it’s time to work on your fiction project? You’re not alone.
Lots of writers battle this issue. Often, we think the project itself is the problem. So, the solution must be a more exciting project. Our current one just isn’t working.
But that’s not the problem. The real issue is that we can’t stick with a project long enough to see results.
Chickens and Writing Fiction
My son has four chickens. When friends and family see them, they often say something like, “Oh, that’s so nice. I wish I had chickens!”
They see how cute and fluffy the chickens are. How they waddle around in their movable coop on the lawn, scratching for bugs and pecking at grass. They see the lovely number of “free” eggs in the basket on our counter.
Here’s what they don’t see:
· Coop cleaning
· Daily water and food refills
· Baths for messy birds (yes, it’s a thing)
· Money spent on grain, probiotics, treats, and other supplies
· The daily hauling of their movable coop
· Snow removal
· Holes in our lawn (chickens are like tiny excavators)
The same is true with our fiction writing.
Ideal vs. Reality
We all have this ideal that we cling to. We imagine ourselves pulling out our beautiful journals and sipping coffee while penning prose easily at the local café. Or typing furiously on our laptop in the wee hours of the morning as we relax by the fireplace.
Here’s what doesn’t come up in our writing daydreams:
· Feelings of inadequacy
· A relentless inner critic
· Squeezing in fifteen minutes to write but drawing a blank
· A deep, gnawing feeling that we’re not real writers
· Hating what we’ve written
· Being terrified that someone will read our work
When You Struggle to Write Fiction
Here’s an example of this problem in action.
*Mia came to me because she was struggling to create a dedicated writing routine. Despite a deep desire to finish her novel, Mia said she just couldn’t stick with anything long enough to see results.
“I start a new manuscript all gung-ho,” Mia said. “But then I get stuck. Or more often, the idea I had at first seems kind of stupid. So, I put it aside and start a different book. But then a few chapters or months into that manuscript and I lose interest.”
Maybe you see yourself in Mia’s struggle. A lot of the writers I talk with have a similar issue: they love having written. They don’t like writing.
Many of them, in fact, dread writing fiction.
“Give me articles or blog posts to write for clients and I can pump them out no problem,” another writer told me once. “But writing fiction — ugh. It takes so much mental space. And a piece of my soul.”
A Simple Fix
The solution I offer clients isn’t sexy or guaranteed to stop all feelings of dread when it comes to writing. In fact, it’s so simple I felt a little embarrassed when I first suggested it in coaching.
“What if you just promised yourself you would stick with your current project, no matter what?”
Often, this is a scary idea. We might feel trapped. We might be thinking, “Well, yeah, I would stick with it. Except I’ve realized that there are huge holes in this plot.” Or “Normally, I’d keep going. It’s just that this manuscript is so far from what I wanted to write that I can’t keep going.”
But we can.
As writers, we must accept something: Being uncomfortable is part of the writing process.
Writing fiction isn’t all glitter and stardust. I bet that if 100 of the top-selling novelists in the world were polled, a huge percentage — maybe all — would say that they struggle to write. Not every day. But at certain points in the process.
Simple, Not Easy
Is making this commitment easy? No. Is making a marriage vow? Raising a child? Caring for an elderly parent? Volunteering with a nonprofit? None of these things are easy, but we make commitments to them because they matter to us.
By committing to your current project — no matter what it is — you’ll be telling yourself three key things.
1. I do what I say I will
2. I don’t let my emotions make my decisions
3. I can do hard things
By all means, continue to jot down ideas for future writing projects. If brainstorming and playing with ideas for new fiction projects makes you happy, keep doing that.
But when it comes time for your 15-minute writing practice continue with your current work-in-progress.
And remember, you can always modify as you go.
Let’s say you’re a quarter way through your first novel but hating where the story is going. Change it. You’re in charge, after all. Your fiction project shouldn’t feel like a prison sentence. If you really, truly hate your current manuscript, get creative and think of ways to change it and make the process more bearable.
Can you make it into a (long) short story? A novella? A series that could be released on something like Kindle Vella?
The process of committing to your current work in progress will prove that you can do this. You can finish your book in whatever form that looks like. And once you’ve accomplished that, you will experience satisfaction, delight, and a deep pride in yourself.
Dreading our writing time often comes up because our brains realize that writing isn’t always fun. But there are ways around that. In this article we looked at the practical first step: commit. Next, we’ll look at some fun ways to trick our brains into getting around dread in the first place.
Want more inspiration and help on your fiction writing journey? Sign up for my short ‘n sweet newsletter or head over to YouTube for more videos on productivity for fiction writers.
Visit my website, www.joychoquette.com for information about my coaching, course, and book for writers.
*Client name changed for confidentiality.
