What Happens When You Stop Writing
I did this recently. Kinda had to as my wonderful and trusty laptop of the last few years, with ALL of my documents, books in the works, and important papers is on its last legs after being in the accident with me. We both got a little borked, only my laptop is not healing, lol.
The last few articles I wrote took five plus hours. One took three days. I will not detail my frustration and anger with that whole process, you can imagine it if you're feeling frisky ;) I finally felt alright enough to go out and shop for a bluetooth keyboard so I can at least work from my android tablet while I am awaiting the insurance settlement for my damaged items.
In the meantime, I was "writing" on my cell phone, which, of course is damaged from the same tousling about the laptop and I received, but works a little faster at the moment.
But a funny thing happened while I was unable to work- my brain stopped being able to!
I write every day. It is my job. I take a few days off like holidays and important family days and such, but I would say I definitely work at least 350 days a year. It's the nature of the beast when you work from home- there's no PTO or sick days. So since the accident I've been sporadic at best with work and its making me actually lose my ability.
I rarely struggle with ideas. I can usually, 99 out of 100 times, sit down at my laptop and pound out an article. I've been doing this for so long that I am used to it. That's the thing, when you do it every day it becomes easy. Second nature if you will. I used to experience the dreaded Writers Block, but I suppose I have enough ideas stored away from years of doing what I do that it is not even an issue.
If you want to be a writer, you must write every day. Even with my brief hiatus I am starting to get rusty and having to struggle! Writing is like anything else- you have to exercise it to keep it strong ;)
Write on my friends!
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My real life horror- the accident and PTSD
- Part 1-My Near Death Experience
- Part 2- the Accident Aftermath
- Part 3- Subtract the D from PTSD but Your Brain is Still Scrambled
- Part 4-How to Heal Mind and Body After an Accident & Helpful Advice for Your Loved Ones
- Part 4.5 What to Expect With Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury
- Part 5- The Tunnel. A Real Life Horror
- Part 6- The Journey
- Part 7-My Healing & @Papa-Pepper CryptoJeep Challenge
Trigger warning- graphic and raw.
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I agree. It has happened with me too. I you do something regularly ,you definitely get better at it but if you stop doing the same, you get rusty.
Same is the case with you I guess, no offense.
But I think you will regain your momentum once you start blogging again regularly. So you don't need to worry about that right now. You have your laptop and your tablet on your plate right now, get them fixed first and get going again. Thanks
No offense whatsoever :) 'tis truths!
Yes, I agree... Now that I have working equipment I will be able to do it daily again and I'll get the momentum going :(
@arbitrarykitten mam...
Life happens. With it, your ability to put words into blank spaces is relegated to the deathbed. It stretches from an off day to an off month. Bouts of illnesses in the family (the non-threatening kind), the long school break for summer, the general atmosphere of laziness all around, and before you can acknowledge the gravity of your non-writing days, the rhythm dies. Your tapping fingers come to a halt at the keyboard. The momentum that had built painstakingly over the years vanishes without a trace or warning.
No, it does not come to a screeching halt, grating your senses awake, like you had hoped. It just happens. Slowly. Almost without notice, without acknowledgment.
Writing is all about practice. When you stop writing for a period, you may find it difficult to hold a coherent thought in your head and commit it to paper (so to speak). You may end up dismissing every idea that pops up as non-sensical, and reject it before it had had the time to take shape. Unless you keep writing, you are not going to get any good at it. But since you are no good at it in the first place, you may find it difficult to let the world in on your private thoughts and witness your incompetence. It’s a vicious cycle to break.
“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.”
– Stephen King
Thanks for start great disscuss...
Wel done mam...
Absolutely! Getting into the habit of writing every day was the single most helpful thing that I've ever done in my quest to become a writer. I recently wrote a post about how daily journaling changed my life. As you've noted, it's one of the best ways to beat writer's block. Not forever though it seems... Got to keep on going.
So sorry to hear that you've been having technical difficulties. Breaking my laptop is one of my biggest fears. I'm so over-protective of it because it really it my whole life. Also totally with you on the no-days-off thing when you work from home. We're lucky though, because we love what we do so it almost doesn't seem like work. :)
Give me a call tomorrow and let's finish that challenge!
Oh! I guess this is why I haven't been seeing articles from you for over 3 days now. I am so sorry about the accident and I hope everything works out fine soon.
Ohhh so that's what happened that's why you're not writing for like a week...
I hope the insurance company settle your damage items fast... so you can back to writing like before everyday I'm reading your post... have a great day ms. @arbitrarykitten
While I don't write for a living I do write my daily dose each day and now after six months of doing it, it kind of has become a part of my daily routine , if I go to bed or fall asleep before I do it I can never sleep well, thus I am up at 2:41AM because I needed to get it done. So I sort of understand where you are coming from on this post.
Hope everything works out well for you soon.
Quite true. I can relate. It's usually a struggle getting back to form once you stop writing for awhile. Currently passing through this phase and it's killing me knowing I'm yet to develop such consistency by writing everyday.
Ummmm...if you wana be a good writer , I don't think writing everyday alone would do. I think I one should mix it up with reading as well and since you say you write a lot, I wonder when you have the time to read. Lol
I am sorry about your laptop but it shouldn't stop you from dishing out great contents. The laptop is gone but the ideas are still in your head.
It's a good thing you got a Bluetooth keyboard to speed up things and I am pretty certain you are gonna bounce back real soon...Just give it some time dear. The beast is still in you.
That's the thing, the ideas were in my head and that's where they'd stay as it was taking up to a minute per letter typed!
My brain became so frustrated it decided to hold a protest ;)
I find that if my brain hits that wall and I try to keep going -- I run into burnout inside of two weeks flat.
When my brain stops, there is no more cranking out content. For me, it's just that way, no matter what "tips" or "hacks" I've tried to change it. Frustrating as YOU KNOW WHAT!!!!
I can write other stuff -- stuff that doesn't have an agenda or deadline, but if my brain isn't working -- there is no cranking out things with an agenda or a deadline attached.
I still don't know why that is.