Do you suffer from writer’s guilt? I know a lot of writers do … even if it doesn’t get talked about all that much.
We feel guilty about writing – when there are so many other things that need to be done.
We feel guilty about not writing – when Author Friends keep publishing new books and stories.
We feel guilty about what we’re writing – because it’s too uncommercial or too frivolous or even too embarrassing.
Sometimes, we put far too much pressure on ourselves about writing. Maybe we have unrealistically high expectations of the quality and output we should be able to achieve.
Or maybe we’ve taken to heart other people’s ideas about how we should live our life. We feel like society (or even a specific person) thinks we should prioritize money or devoting ourself to children or loved ones – not creative fulfilment.
Like a lack of confidence in your writing, writer’s guilt isn’t necessarily something you’ll ever fully overcome. But it’s certainly something you can push back against.
Try:
- Setting aside time that’s dedicated to your writing. Outside that time, don’t feel guilty about not writing. And during that time, don’t feel guilty about writing.
- Making small promises to yourself and keeping them. “Write a sentence tomorrow” is enough, to start with.
- Finding other people who “get” writing and who support you – without guilt-tripping you. (If you’ve ever bought anything from me, remember you’re entitled to free lifetime membership of my private Facebook group, the Aliventures Club.)
- Reminding yourself that it’s fine to write just for fun. You don’t have to have an end goal in mind.
Writer’s guilt can sap the pleasure from writing. Don’t let it!
If you’d like a bit of extra help giving writing a place in your life, check out the Supercharge Your Writing Session guide. It’s just $8 (including the bonus printables) and it’s designed to help you make the most of your writing time – guilt-free.
