Writing Hiatus?

Of late, I’ve seen a number of social media posts where people have spoken openly of lost motivation, writer’s block, and/or a loss in confidence in their abilities. Some over the short term, others longer.

While I’m glad to see more writers and authors dispelling the false image of how effortless it is to create a piece of work, it’s saddening to hear of those on the brink of giving up. I admit my own journey is very up and down, but thankfully I’m not quite at that point, and I sincerely hope you’re not either.

The process of writing and creating isn’t always easy, let’s be honest. Some days it’s like having a tooth extracted while someone else yanks your toenails off!

Well ok…a little over the top.  But my point – it has its challenges. So, when people ask – Why do you do it then? Why bother? Depending on where you’re at, you could be thinking the same thing!  

It’s not uncommon to have days where we second guess ourselves, but I hope for all our sakes, these are far between.

When things get tough, I want us to remember why we started in the first place, and why we continue to return to our keyboards; our notebooks; and our voice recorders.  

The Joy of Creating

Imagine a young child sitting at an art desk with an endless array of colours at their disposal.

The excitement of brandishing that brush chock full of delicious thick paint, and creating their very own rainbow. That joy is pure.

Remember what that feels like? Harness it.

Your words have the power to paint such vivid pictures in a reader’s mind, as if you were wielding a cognitive brush, palette and canvas. That ability to evoke imagery and emotion is no insignificant thing, and from this, the privileged connection between you and your reader is born.

Own it, work it, master it.

Think Back to What Got You Started

There can be any number of reasons or circumstances as to why someone’s drive has hit a temporary hiatus, causing the creative well to dry up, or to just plain lose incentive.

Try to focus on when/who/or what drew you in to begin with. When did your dream begin?

• Was it an idea?
• Were you inspired by an event or a person?
• Was it the desire to create something of your own and share it with the world?

For me, it was my kids when they were younger. I loved how immersed they would get in stories and imaginary worlds (to this day, they still do). I wanted to be able to create that experience for people too, a temporary escape.

Regain That Confidence

Long term goals are challenging in so far as maintaining momentum and staying focused. Perhaps this is where some of us struggle the most.

To look at a large project as a whole can be daunting. This goes for anything really. If feeling overwhelmed, perhaps break things down and focus on one thing at a time, and trust it will all come together in the end like a big jigsaw puzzle.  

Sometimes, a short-term distraction can be just what you need. If a loss in confidence in being able to complete something is weighing you down, I can’t recommend highly enough the benefit of doing short stories.

There are heaps of short story competitions out there, but one I enter regularly is The Australian Writer’s Centre’s Furious Fiction.  AWC run this on the first weekend of the month. There’s no entry fee. Prompts are released at 5.00pm on the Friday, and you have 55hrs to produce a 500 word (or less) short story. Very do-able. The sense of accomplishment of having actually finished something is rewarding in itself. And it’s a great means of moving around or over that mental hurdle.

Maintain the Motivation

I’ve spoken of low motivation prior, as it’s something that affects all of us at some point. If this is you at the moment, rest assured you’re not alone, an no one is immune.

Surround yourself with like-minded people. If you’re not already, join some Facebook writing communities, there’s plenty around. (I’ve found this immensely helpful).

If you’re not at the point where you can put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard, do writing related activities. Listen to Podcasts and Author interviews. Read books about writing.

But understand, eventually you’ll need to force yourself to sit down and just begin. For some, this is enough.  

Stay positive.

Remember how badly you want this.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

I’d heard of this many years ago, though didn’t really acknowledge or understand the power of it for a long time.

What it comes down to, is mindset. Believe in yourself, and that you can achieve your goals. Picture the outcome.  

I do believe we can talk ourselves into a less than positive result. “I’m never going to finish this.” “I’m not capable of doing this.” “I’m not good enough.”

“If you expect the battle to be insurmountable, you’ve met the enemy. It’s you.” 

Khang Kijarro Nguyen

It’s so easy to listen to the negative in our heads. But like everything else, it takes practice to ignore and not give it any credence or space.

Challenge it. Get rid of the ‘I’m nevers,’ and ‘I’m nots.’

And what are you left with? “I’m going to finish this.” “I’m capable of doing this.” “I’m good enough.”

Then watch the changes begin.

During my research, I came across this article and found it a very interesting read. Thought you might as well. Hope it’s helpful.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy – Positive Psychology

Wherever you’re at in your work or journey, I wish you great success. You can do it.