I have had a wonderful day with the family, but now I’m tired and have a headache (have had most of the day). Although it’s my challenge to blog every day for a year, I’d like to know if it’s okay not to feel like writing some days, even if writing is my passion. Self-discipline has brought me to my computer as well as dedication to the blog and my readers. I’d like to know if other fellow writers feel the same sometimes.
Does anyone else not feel like writing?
After typing ‘I don’t feel like writing’ into Google, it brought back 890million results and Daily Writing Tips (who I am doing my online writing course with) came up first – how about that. The article on their site is more to do How to Start Writing When you Don’t Feel Like it, whereas I wanted someone to say it’s okay not to write when you don’t feel like it.
On Yahoo answers, the response to the question ‘What to do when you don’t feel like writing’ was “If I really don’t want to write, then I don’t write. Thing is, this is a hobby and it should not become a chore”. That’s so right!
Next I found a very well thought out and well written post by Noop.NL called I don’t feel like writing, yet I write. Self-discipline also helps him to keep writing and he explains “I came to write this blog post today, even though I actually wanted to read my book. Fresh content on my blog is important to me. I organize my other activities so that I have time for writing”. Wow, that has made me even more determined to carry my challenge on for the next six months and one week (yes – I’m nearly half-way there).
My thoughts: I do feel a bit better now knowing that there are others out there who have the same questions and issues. What didn’t help tonight was that WordPress unfortunately logged me out when I tried to save this earlier and I lost some of what I had written. Not very helpful when I’m feeling like this!
Anyway, hope you are having an enjoyable weekend. Hopefully I’ll be on better form tomorrow.
As a side note – should the title of this blog have been “Is it okay to not feel like writing some days?” or “Is it okay not to feel like writing some days?”
Thanks!
This blog post forms part of my writing challenge. Don’t forget that you can subscribe to receive my daily blogs by email so that you don’t miss any. Just click ‘sign me up’ on the home page. Alternatively you can follow my blogs on Twitter or my ‘Tips and Luxuries‘ Facebook page. Requests for future blogs (punctuation/grammar/writing tips) are always welcome.
Until tomorrow…
Sandra
Freelance writer
Please visit www.sandramadeira.com for more information on my services as a freelance writer.
My other blogs:
Sandra’s blog
My OpenLeaf Journey
My Tips and Luxuries website
(includes the introduction to my upcoming book ‘A Gift for Stressed and Busy Parents’)
Twitter: @madeirasandra @tipsandluxuries @OpenLeafJourney
Reference list:
Google
Daily Writing Tips
Yahoo answers
Noop.NL – I don’t feel like writing, yet I write
My Writing Notebook 
My A.A. Sponsor once told me, “There are two kinds of days when you need a Meeting: the days when you feel like a Meeting, and the days when you *don’t* feel like a Meeting.” For me, same goes for Writing… 🙂
Posted by Kana Tyler | October 23, 2011, 2:41 amThanks Kana
Posted by Sandra Madeira | October 25, 2011, 10:08 pmSandra, I’m impressed with the fact that self discipline got you to the computer. I can’t even do that when I’m not in the mood!! My self discipline is a slippery fish often seen leaping out of the ocean whilst at other times, it moves silently through the water’s hidden depths. Whatever it’s doing, more often than not it’s trying to get away from me! I have no idea about fishing and simply have no idea how to catch a fish so you can imagine where all this ends…yep, I don’t even manage to switch the computer on! I find it far easier to admire the leaping fish!! I reckon that if you’ve (or we’ve) got as far as turning the computer on and sitting down, you (we) can give yourself (ourselves) a pat on the back and just start by typing a few words. If you (we) are still resisting then call it a day methinks. Sometimes the thought or idea of doing some work is completely different (and often far worse) to the reality so I think you (we) should at least try!! Anyway, what do I know?? I’m off after my fish again!!
Posted by Rachel Green | October 23, 2011, 2:31 pmThanks for your comments Rachel. Here I am at my computer again after a busy day, waiting for inspiration to strike.
Good luck with whatever you write about…you come across as very imaginative!
Sandra
Posted by Sandra Madeira | October 25, 2011, 10:08 pmSandra, You have the title grammatically correct. 🙂 Many people may take offense at this, but writing when you *don’t* feel like it is what separates the hobbyists from the professionals. Writers (and other artists) are the only professionals who suffer from a “block,” an affliction so common it even has its own name (writer’s block…) I commend you for blogging even when you don’t feel like it. That, more than anything else, will help you as you live the mission of this blog, “to become a better writer.” All the rules and tips and writing prompts in the world can help, but they can’t do the one thing necessary to help someone earn a living as a writer — to put butt in chair and write.
To the person who said he doesn’t write when he doesn’t feel like it because it’s a hobby and it’s supposed to be fun for him, he is absolutely right. Hobbyists shouldn’t write when they don’t feel like it. There’s nothing wrong with that. But it brings me back to me first point… professionals write not when inspiration strikes, but Everyday. (And it’s amazing how, once you get into a habit of writing at more or less the same time every day, inspiration shows up right there next to you.)
Posted by Dawn | October 24, 2011, 4:03 amActually, “not to feel” is correct; “to not feel” is a split infinitive…
😉
Posted by Kana Tyler | October 24, 2011, 7:47 amAhh, good point Kana. Another reader said the opposite, but I think you have given me a good enough reason to consider changing the title. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Sandra
Posted by Sandra Madeira | October 25, 2011, 10:10 pmHi Dawn
Thank you for your comment. That has made me feel a whole lot better and you’ve also made me realise that my writing is now much more than a hobby.
Regards
Sandra
Posted by Sandra Madeira | October 25, 2011, 9:40 pm