So what if I hardly wrote last year?
A confession and ramblings, from a writer, who writes words ... sometimes
I’m a writer.
It says so in my bio.
I’ve been paid for my writing. There are words that I’ve written that people have read and that hopefully more people will read and enjoy in the future.
But, last year I only wrote maybe two picture book manuscripts. A thousand words, though probably a few more than that (my first drafts are always on the long side), and not a whole lot else.
Writing is one of my jobs, like I already mentioned, it says so in my bio! Yet, clearly I’m not the kind of writer who writes constantly.
With that comes a feeling … that I think is guilt, or maybe hopelessness, or a general sense that I’m not doing it right. It’s not because I have this silly idea in my head that writers need to write every single day – I definitely don’t think that, though if a writer feels that they need to work that way then I’m not gonna argue; each to their own and all that.
Still, the feeling lingers. It’s there mostly because of the pressure I put on myself. The pressure to be working and always working towards something. Writing isn’t my only occupation. I also edit for other writers, illustrate, and parent my two little ones. Are these excuses for the lack of words? Perhaps.
I need to remind myself that the previous year I wrote 12 picture book manuscripts, which gave me plenty to work with last year, plus, I got an agent and we sent out some of my work. It was a huge year for me in lots of ways, just not so much in the Department of New Words.
I think that’s okay and it’s a fine way to work. I write a whole bunch of words one year, then not a whole lot the next as I finesse the best of the already written words.
This year I’ve already written a picture book manuscript, the start of a chapter book manuscript, one line of a picture book manuscript (pats on the back with that one!), and I’m researching for another. Perhaps this will be another year of lots of words, or maybe I’ll get to a point where I need to finesse the already written words so they can be sent out.
I don’t quite know what my writing schedule looks like, which keeps things interesting for my brain that likes to do lots of different things, but I need to let go of the feeling that I should be writing MORE.
I’m reminded of an Instagram post I saw recently shared by the author Laini Taylor (you can see it below). She said:
Writers, repeat after me: there is no one right way.
Laini was talking about writing a first draft and how it’s okay for authors to have different ways of going about that. Some like to get that draft down as fast as possible without going back to fix or edit anything until that first draft is done, while others DO like to edit as they go; finessing the already written words before moving on to the next part.
I’m open to whatever works for me at the time. I don’t need to be writing constantly or every single day, or even every single week.
I’m writing as much as I need to be right now. My system might not be a typical kind of system or an organised one where I stick to a schedule and reach certain word counts, but the facts tell me that that’s okay. I am making progress, I’m moving forward, even if at times it doesn’t look or feel like it.
This is my way of being a writer, for now, and I’m going to roll with it.
What’s your creative system like? Do you have a schedule? Or are you much like me without a proper system?
Before I go, I just want to add a little update. Melissa-Jane’s Tea Break now has over 160 free subscribers, and I recently gained my very first paid subscriber. Thank you so very much to all of you for your support.
If you would like to continue supporting me and if you’re able, please consider signing up for a paid subscription, there are monthly, yearly and founding member options that now include a free piece of my art. A print for monthly and yearly subscribers and an original for founding members. But if you can’t upgrade to a paid subscription, no worries at all. My posts are still free and I appreciate you being here and reading or listening as I navigate my way through life and publishing and all the rest. That’s all for today.
Yanu, for now!
I acknowledge the Darkinyung people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I live and work, and I pay my respects to the Elders past and present.
I can relate to this! Last year I wrote a couple picture book drafts and did some final edits on my novel in verse. Though it wasn’t a lot of writing, it felt like a lot to read work! I also launched my substack so I guess that counts as writing. I don’t really have a schedule. I try occasionally but never manage to stick with one!
Very much relate to this! It all adds up eventually ✊🏻