What Happens When a Writer Stops Writing?
Writer friends, take it from me: carry on, carry on, carry on.
Hello, I am back. Again. I realize it was a bad idea to be away for as long as I was (about a month, I think). My initial goal was to rest. Then, as the weeks passed, getting back to writing became a progressively herculean task to undertake.
The list below sums up my experience of not writing. I hope you learn from it so you need not go through what I did.
Here are five things that happen when a writer stops writing.
1. You feel great to be relieved of the “burden” of writing…
… for a while. Escaping the grind can feel like a weight being lifted from your shoulders. You think of the times you spent trying to run through the wall that is writer’s block, and are delighted at the thought that you won’t be doing that again for a while.
The idea of freedom excites you, launching you to cloud nine. But as we’ve learned in physics class, what comes up must come down because eventually…
2. Self-doubt creeps in.
It might take a while but your inner demons will come knocking.
On one hand, taking a step back from your craft helps bring perspective. Having some distance from the work allows you to assess it with a measure of objectivity, and makes it easier for you to tackle it from a new angle.
But spend too much time off, and the space between you and your passion starts flooding with shadows. They usually come in the form of questions:
Should I go on? Am I even good enough to do this? What if I’m meant for something else? Will I write today? I don’t really feel like it, so maybe tomorrow? Or next week?
Suddenly, you’re in your own way. You used to be focused and in rhythm, but now you are weighed down by harmful thoughts.
3. You dread the blank page again.
It’s unfair how little it takes to ruin something you have given so much of yourself to build. You hustle to reach a level of mastery, only to get rusty during your hiatus.
When you’re on a roll, the blank page is but a canvas for your greatness. Once you’ve lost momentum, however, nothing is as daunting as a total word count of zero.
4. You feel powerless.
You lose your power when you don’t use it. Stopping writing for a long time then getting back into the habit can feel like starting from nothing, and you feel helpless for not having your magic touch.
It will seem like the muse has walked away for good, when, really, you’re just out of shape and are unable to keep up with her the way you used to.
5. You miss writing.
After all is said and done, your urge to write will kick back into overdrive. At some point you’re just aching to put your thoughts and emotions into words. Though you flinch at the labor ahead, you crave the feeling of having written—of having turned something immaterial inside you into something more concrete.
Sooner or later you’ll give in to writing, whether due to passion or duty. And rightly so. Is that not a writer’s gift and curse?
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