13 Things that can Steal Your Writing Joy

Writers have a love/hate relationship with putting words on paper. Sometimes it’s difficult because of the process. Other times we sabotage ourselves. Today I’d like to share my list of things that steal your writing joy.

1. Comparison. We each have our own process, our own strengths, and our own path. Comparison will draw you away from being yourself.

2. Avoidance. The longer we stay away from the process of writing, the harder it is to go back. Not writing will steal away the joy of writing.

3. Negative Voices. We all have them—those negative voices that live in our heads. We say thing to ourselves that we’d never say to another person. So quit encouraging the voices and just write.

4. Perfectionism. We all dream about being perfect. But some of us mistake that dream for a goal. We agonize over the fact that we’re not perfect. It’s time to quit and just enjoy the words.

5. Fear. Writers and insecurity, it’s so common it’s a cliché. But that’s the thing with clichés, they’re so often based in truth. When we focus on fear, we can lose the happiness we feel when we write.

6. Time. Yep, busy schedules can come between us and the joy of writing. Finding time to write is a myth, instead we have to carve it out, fighting for every minute we spend putting words on paper.

7. The Past. We can hold onto past mistakes and missteps and let them steal our writing joy. Learn from the past, but don’t drag it along and let it keep you from the happiness ahead.

8. Solitude. Believe me, I do fit the stereotype of introverted writer. But that doesn’t mean I should to travel this writing road alone. If I spend too much time along, I loose perspective. I need companions for encouragement and support.

9. Unreasonable Expectations. This goes beyond perfectionism. So often we have expectations about how this writing life is going to work. We need to get to know the industry and learn how things work.

10. Lack of Variety. Focus is good. But it’s hard to know where we should focus our writing when we haven’t tried anything new. Writing the same thing (articles, devotions, fiction) day in and day out can make our writing stale. Take up the challenge of something new and you’ll often find joy is the outcome.

11. Yes. Yep, saying yes to too many things, people, expectations, etc. can come between you and the joy of writing. As writers, we have to find the will power to say no.

12. Toxic Relationships. Not having traveling companions can steal our joy, but so can choosing the wrong companions. Pick your writing buddies with care or you may find they are the ones keeping you from enjoying the journey.

13. Forgetting Why You Started Writing in the First Place. It’s easy for the dream to get buried. I keep a reminder above my desk. It’s a few words that sum up what I believe to be God’s call on my life. He fashioned me to process and share life through the written word. When I go back to that, everything else falls into place.