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Does anyone else suffer from or have bouts of Writer’s Guilt? What do you think causes it, in your situation and how do you overcome it?
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As much as we'd all love to write every hour of the day we could to get a story or a novel finished, real life just isn't like that. Ordinary life requirements get in the way, appointments, work, buying food and clothes.
Don't beat yourself up about how much you can't do- the negativity is not good for creativity- but see what you can achieve in the time available to you. Decide what has the highest priorities and get on with them.
My family life, and my own health do put restrictions on me sometimes, but I've learnt that it's a waste of time moaning about what I can't do.
You find what works for you- yes it is trial and error- and you will have episodes of guilt, but you don't let it take control.
When you're on a roll, you want to keep writing no matter what anyone else wants - you're afraid you'll lose the moment. Other people don't take your work (and it is work, not playing about with words) as seriously as you do, because they aren't writers. They don't understand that this is who we are, not just what we do.
There will be times when you have to let the real world have its way; there will be times when you can shut it out. You have to decide what's important - and it may not be what the other person/people think.
I spent a lot of years putting other people first, and I'll never know if that was good or bad for my work - it's just what it is. But that's because I'm a people person. Others will act differently.
We all - everyone who works for a living, not just writers - have to find a work-life balance, StF, and we don't always get it right. Don't let your studies suffer, don't let your important relationships suffer. There is often a compromise to be made, and it's up to you whether you make it.
That probably just proves how severe my case is.
I do think I should write more, but as it's not my day job, I don't feel as guilty as I would if I sat in work and chatted to people on Facebook for a couple of hours
I rarely feel guilty about anything though.
I think they should go the whole hog and have both jam AND cream. Ooh I am dribbling Jam and cream down me front already just dreaming about it.
Oh, no, sorry, that's actually not jam and cream but me just foaming at the mouth. Seems I've got rabies after eating summat out the dog's dish in my kitchen.
I could go on but that'll open a flood gate.
I blame my anxiety and stress from work but I feel mostly guilty.
I reckon we balance each other out and actually we're all just fine.
I feel uneasy if I haven't written for a while, but I'm used to that now, knowing the urge and ability will return when it's ready.
What I do sometimes feel is frustrated that I haven't achieved all I've wanted to. I always hold a long list in my head of all I plan to do... eventually.
I'm still nowhere near the end of it. Hope I live long enough to finish.
You're decades younger than me and you've got some on the shelves already, so you're way ahead of me.
Sometimes I feel guilty about not having a job so I go CV dropping to dispel that guilt. I sometimes feel that as well but then I tell myself I have a long time to achieve those goal and I can work towards them by completing smaller tasks first.