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No writer is perfect.
I talk to a lot of writers, especially lately, who feel like they’re “not getting it” or they’re not good enough and that self-shaming has to stop. Every writer struggles. Every writer has a day, a week, a year where they just… can’t seem to make it happen. Things don’t fall into place for them, writing isn’t as easy on this project as it was for that one story that one time.
Every story is different. Every writer is different. You’re not the same writer today as you were yesterday or a year ago. You have different goals and aspirations, you have more practice now, and you’ve tried different things. We’re too hard on ourselves and it’s debilitating.
Sometimes I write things down so I can see them for myself.
People put a lot of stock in what the “experts” say but they don’t have it figured out either. Sure, they might write a lot. They might sell tons of books and have loads more experience than other writers do. Their advice can help—but it’s not the singular rule. Their advice is not the only thing that works and in fact, it might fail miserably for you. That doesn’t mean you failed.
One writer’s routine doesn’t have to be yours; find a system that helps you feel excited about words and that energy will leap off the page. Famous writers have bad days too. They have long breaks in productivity or months where, try as they might, they can’t meet the deadline.
They keep trying and you should too.
Fiction projects: 1
Fiction words this week: 2200
About the author: Theresa Green is the co-founder of The Writer's Workout and a crime fiction writer.
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