A Sense of Doubt blog post #4083 - What to Do When Not Writing

https://journeytokidlit.com/how-to-find-time-to-write-not-feel-guilty/

A Sense of Doubt blog post #4083 - What to Do When Not Writing

It's not that I can't write. It's that I am setting my priorities to other work with deadlines.

My problem is that when I do that, when I take a break from writing to work on other things for my job ($$$), to get jobs ($$$), or to do homework (someday more $$$), then I lose momentum.

Writing is about momentum.

If you are writing, then you also have things to think about that are for that writing project, mulling over some moment in a scene, having a realization of how one thing you created connects to something else, realizing a name change is needed, and so on.

I have never believed in writer's block.

Writers write.

Those who are not really writers do not write.

I feel like I am not really a writer when I am not writing.

Partly that's why I have this blog. Sure, it takes time that I could be writing fiction. But it forces me to do something even remotely creative every day, though, yes, I do fall behind sometimes, but I have systems in place now to avoid falling behind by my record (13 days) as described here:

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

A Sense of Doubt blog post #3612 - Crash Dive: Go Deep, Run Silent, Get it Done

This blog serves many purposes. It's my study. It's also my exercise, especially when I take the time to write something as I am doing right now rather than sharing other people's writing with almost nothing by me in the post.

I have anxiety.

So, when I have a lot of things to do (actually, as I do right now), I prioritize those things that feel important, and let writing slide out of the work schedule.

When that happens, I lose the momentum and even stop thinking about it, or stall out, thinking about it less.

I like to write first thing in the morning. But when something is due, I put it off, and then, often, do not get to it.

Lately, I have been trying to make writing a reward.

So, yesterday, after several days of no writing activity, I decided to just set a small goal. I had made a to do lists of some edits to make to chapters, added material. I chose one and just got started. I didn't write much. It may not have even hit my fifteen minute minimum goal. But it was a start; it was progress. And I could feel the momentum build up again. My brain started to turn the idea around, like a wooden block puzzle, as I had not finished the addition. And so, I am ready to add a little more today. But later, after I get work done for $$$ and SCHOOL. Then, I can reward myself.

Maybe this mindset will work for you, too.

If you did a search and landed on this page to check out what I had to say on this topic, or even if you didn't, and came here from social media, please leave me a comment. I love to hear from you.

Now, get writing!!

Thanks for tuning in.

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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2604.22 - 10:10

- Days ago: MOM = 3947 days ago & DAD = 601 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I post Hey Mom blog entries on special occasions. I post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day, and now I have a second count for Days since my Dad died on August 28, 2024. I am now in the same time zone as Google! So, when I post at 10:10 a.m. PDT to coincide with the time of Mom's death, I am now actually posting late, so it's really 1:10 p.m. EDT. But I will continue to use the time stamp of 10:10 a.m. to remember the time of her death and sometimes 13:40 EDT for the time of Dad's death. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.