5 excuses not to write that you can’t use in 2021
As we approach the new year and set new goals for ourselves, it’s also a good time to look at the excuses we make for why we might not have met 2020’s goals.
They say that life is what happens when you’re busy making plans but I always enjoy setting news goals for myself each year and focusing on becoming the best version of myself possible, and to me that means setting goals around my creative side, especially where writing is concerned.
But, when it comes down to actually sitting at my desk and working on my WIP or story I often find myself making excuses or getting distracted by social media, other websites, and even Spotify by trying to create the perfect writing playlist.
Well no more! 2020 is not going down as anyone’s favorite year and with a fresh start right around the corner, I’m ready to reach my writing goals in 2021 and stop making excuses.
Today I’m rounding up five excuses all writers should eliminate from their repertoire going into 2021.
1. I have no time
We all lead different lives and spend our time differently based on our schedules, work, family, and commitments, but trust me, you have time to write.
I like to think of my writing time like exercising. You have to commit to it and schedule it in your day or before you know it it’ll be bedtime and you didn’t get one word down. Many writers suggest making writing a daily habit (like exercise), but that can be hard to commit to to start or you might burn out quickly. Do what’s best for you when it comes to scheduling writing time even if that’s saying your dedicated writing time is from 7-8 p.m. on Thursday nights.
You may have to make sacrifices with your schedule to fit writing time in, such as getting up earlier or staying up later. If writing is important to you, you’ll find the time to fit it in.
Compounding our time problem is the sheer number of distractions we have at our disposal. Even the device we do our writing on is distracting by notifying us of emails, texts, or a photo your sibling shared on social media.
If you find that you just can’t fit writing time into your routine, it’s time to track how you’re spending your days with a time tracker. This will only work if you’re honest. Did you really watch four episodes of Friends back-to-back? Did you really spend 30 minutes scrolling through Instagram? Did you get sucked down a rabbit hole on Wikipedia doing research?
Create a spreadsheet or use a notebook to track how you’re spending your time and find things you can cut out and replace it with writing. Instead of watching YouTube videos during your lunch, write in your notebook or take a walk and record yourself talking through your story ideas. Instead of letting Netflix play the next episode, get off the couch and to your writing space for a session.
One helpful way to manage distractions and make sure you’re focused is to try the Pomodoro Technique, where you write (and only write) for 25 minutes and then take a five-minute break to check your phone or other websites.
Another time-related excuse is the: I’ll have time for it later.
Will you though?
What will be different later that you’ll suddenly have lots of free time? You have to focus on the now and starting to build good writer habits immediately instead of some time down the road.
2. My work isn’t good enough
Well, you’re right if you don’t bother to try. That right there is a sad self-fulfilling prophecy. The only way you become better is by doing the work. Give yourself permission to write badly – no one will read the first draft anyway!
Remember it’s the journey, not the destination. Unless you’re a prodigy, your first attempts aren’t going to be best sellers, and that’s okay! It’s going to take time and some revisions to have a good draft of your work.
If you’re feeling stuck, you could also take it upon yourself to study the craft by buying writing books, enrolling in free or affordable online classes, like Udemy, or by joining writing groups to get feedback from other writers.
3. I’m waiting for inspiration
So you’re a waiter, not a writer then. I get it, it can be hard to write when you’re not feeling inspired or motivated but you have to push through.
Learn to treat writing like a job. Set goals, deadlines, and create consequences for not following through. Or, you could set rewards for meeting your deadlines and goals. If you can’t use the excuse of not being inspired at work, you can’t use it with your writing.
If you feel like your back is up against the wall, there are things you can do to coax your muse into inspiring you, such as:
- Listening to music
- Daydreaming about a scene
- Writing character profiles
- Revising your story’s outline
- Skipping ahead to an action-packed scene
- Going for a walk
- Do a writing prompt
- Reread or edit a previous scene
- Write a one-shot (a scene that won’t make it in the final draft but is fun to write, like your characters going to a wedding, getting lost in the woods, or going to dinner)
4. I don’t know how my story ends
Let’s find out! This is no excuse not to write because the act of writing will shape your story and show you the ending it’s working toward.
You could also look at your outline to see what endings fit your story, or analyze your character’s arc and finding what ending suits them best, or just brainstorming different ways your novel can end that exemplify your story’s theme.
5. I have no new ideas
This is similar to no motivation but still an often-used excuse. I’m sure you have plenty of story ideas swimming in the back of your mind and you just need to focus on one.
Writing prompts or story idea generators are great places to start to help you dream up new characters and new situations.
Look at a list of what if questions and extrapolate that idea into a story. What if aliens lived among us? What if dogs started being able to talk? What if you met someone who was immortal? What if half the population disappeared one day? What if people lived in a virtual simulation?
Start with a specific scene, plot point, or character and work outward. Try to remember some of your dreams and figure out if there’s a story hidden in the meaning there.
Read a book, watch a movie, or reimagine a classic story or fairy tale. Listen to music and dream up a scene that goes perfectly with that song.
There will be days when it’s harder to write than others, and there will be days where your fingers just fly across the keyboard but we don’t want to rely on excuses on the days we can’t write. By overcoming these excuses you can start dedicating your time and energy into writing or achieving whatever goal you have set for yourself.
What writing excuse do you tend to use? Share in the comments below or tell me on Twitter!
