Writing when you don’t feel like it can be a thankless struggle some days. You’re rolling in the glowing praise of readers one day and wrestling with self-doubt and writer’s block the next.

I’ve found myself in the creative doldrums often enough and fought to pull myself back.

There are always supportive friends, thankful readers, and creative rewards to help pull us back out. Appreciate the blessings we get as writers, and remind yourself of all the great things about your passion.

Here are some of the reminders I use myself when I’m feeling down about my craft. If you’re stuck writing when you don’t feel like it, I hope these can lift you up.

It’s Okay to Take Breaks

Burnout is real. When writing is called a hobby or a passion and so many writers out there are urging you to write every day no matter what, it can feel hard to take a break.

It’s okay to pause. It’s okay to take a day off. Writing is work, a job, and a career, so you deserve to take a vacation once in a while.

Your writing won’t disappear, nor will your talent or skill. Everything will be waiting for you when you come back.

Plus, if you still want to advance on your writing journey, there are so many things you can do. Here’s just the tip of the iceberg:

• Read more books (there’s so much for a writer to learn from reading!)
• Launch an author website
• Study craft advice
• Learn to use a new social media platform
• Take a writing course
• Review, beta-read, or critique another writer’s work

As you can see, there’s a world of non-writing chores any writer can take a break from writing to do. You can advance your writing career without lifting a pen or touching a keyboard if you want to.

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And if you don’t feel up to any work period? Also cool. Again, you deserve a break. Take one.

There Is Good in Every Story

One day, I asked my creative writing teacher, candidly: How he could try to improve any writer who took his class? Especially some less-than-hardworking students. How he could give constructive feedback to every story, like he claimed?

Surely, I hinted, some stories were just bad. Some people just weren’t meant to be writers.

No, he refuted. There is something valuable in every story. Among all the silly tropes and bad writing, there is always some redeeming quality.

There are always good elements in everyone’s stories. And it was his job to find them and praise them. It was his job to see the good in every writer and bring it out. There is some good in every story.

What’s amazing is that I saw it. After that, I tried to open my eyes and look harder, to see what he saw—and I saw it.

I began to see every story I read, even if I’d call it pretty awful, had some beautiful, creative aspects. Whether it was a cool idea, a unique perspective, an engaging character, or something else, every bad story had at least one good thing.

So the message here is, even if you think—even if you know—that your story is bad, it still has good in it. There are still redeeming aspects to your story, and if you save the good things and cull the bad parts, you will make a great story. With enough editing and revising, you will always find a great story.

Your Voice Matters

Yes, you! You and your unique voice matter. I believe writing is about having conversations and forging connections with readers. Readers need to hear from your voice to do that.

You have lived experiences in your life no one else has. You have a way of thinking and speaking that no one else has. You have a soul no one else has. You’ve had ideas no one else has. This all enables you to create stories no one else can!

“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.”

-Neil Gaiman

You are the only you. And you are the only one who can write your ideas and bring your unique stories out into the world.

#OwnVoices stories are more popular than ever because readers want to see themselves in stories and hear from writers who haven’t gotten to speak before. If you’re a woman, a person of color, LGBTQ+, or have any other unique perspective, your voice is more important than ever before. People want you to tell your own story!

Whoever you are, there is a place for your story. There is a reader out there who wants to hear your voice. The one no one else can write.

There Will Always Be More Writing Inspiration

You might feel at the end of your rope. You’ve run out of ideas, and what is a writer without ideas?

Answer: Someone who is about to get back to writing. You may not have any ideas now, but there is always inspiration around the corner.

Photo by Alex Azabache from Pexels

I don’t know a single writer who had their well of ideas run dry and quit permanently. That’s because no writer runs out of ideas for good. Writers have creative souls, and you will forever have the creative spirit that gives you stories.

Living your life will give you stories. Reading books will give you stories. Writing prompts will give you stories.

You do know enough about life. You can go out in the world and find new material. You can dig deep inside yourself to find new possibilities. You can always find new stories.

If you’re struggling to come up with new story ideas, may I suggest reading my blog post on how to kickstart your storytelling creativity? But even if you don’t, I promise: Writing inspiration is right around the bend, and it’ll find you.

Writing When You Don’t Feel Like It Will Motivate You to Love Writing Again

Writing when you don’t feel like it is a tough obstacle to overcome. But writing is a passion, one that you love. Creating stories is one of the most amazing feelings in the world. Your love of language and storytelling will rekindle your desire to write again, and I hope these uplifting encouragements helped.

Whatever your problem, wherever your doubt stems from, you can find the motivation to write again.

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Did you find these messages of support helpful? Are you having any other issues preventing you from enjoying writing? Do you have your own writing affirmations? Tell me in the comments, because I’d love to hear about them.

Mint Miller

Mint is a writer and digital marketing pro who lives in coastal Virginia with her family and one lovable pitbull. Her passions include helping people and businesses display their best side through the power of communication, buying her dog costumes he doesn’t want to wear, and talking all day about Batman.