Aspiring Writers: Stop Feeling Guilty

Often times I find myself feeling so guilty for setting time aside to sit and write. As a mom, I can’t sit down without thinking I need to get up and do something… dishes, laundry, shower, etc. Also as a mom, the only time I have to write is at night when everyone else goes to bed. The weekends are usually spent with my husband because he works from dusk til dawn on the weekdays. So, today I found myself wanting to just sit and write. I wanted to go to a quiet coffee shop and write for a few hours while the grandparents had the kids (this is our Sunday routine so my husband and I can have a date day). But, what about my husband? What about our date day? This is where I start to feel guilty. I ended up not writing today and enjoying a movie date with my sweet one. I thought maybe I could write a little when I got home but, honestly, I’m just too exhausted to even try to continue with my novel.

I had someone tell me once that I treat writing like a job when, really, it’s a hobby. I found myself becoming very frustrated with this statement. I have a goal to write at least 750 words per day. If I do this, I can have a novel finished in three months (not including edits and publishing stuff). I have actually been doing very well with this personal goal. I write at least 1,000 words a day. Not because I force myself to, but because I ENJOY IT. I do treat writing like a job because it’s a very personal goal of mine. If I just let it go and only write when I’m in the mood, I’ll never get anything done. Some days I feel like I don’t want to write but I know I have a goal to try to reach. On days like this, I will sit in a quiet space, close my eyes, and try to put myself in the book. Try to put myself in the setting… sitting with the characters… talking to them. This helps me get in the mood to write, even when I originally didn’t feel like it.

The main reason I’m writing this is to tell other aspiring writers: Don’t make yourself feel guilty for setting aside time to write. If you write as a hobby, that’s totally fine. But if you write because you plan to make it your full-time job, stick with it. Don’t let anyone make you feel any less worthy just because they can’t immediately see your progress. Who knows, you might be the next big, well-known writer. Set a goal for yourself, like I have my 750 words per day goal. Your goal can be something small like writing three times a week. No matter your goal, setting goals is important! It gives you something to work toward.