Writing Doesn’t Always Mean Publishing

You can write at any point in your day

I’ve been committing to writing every day both on here, on my blog, and across my social channels. It’s been a joyful experience for me so far, but I’ve also come across the “what do I do when I don’t want to write” feelings. I think as creatives we’re all used to encountering days when our ideas run short, but what I’m referring to is more of the blockage that arises when we’re low on energy, not inspiration.

While I don’t have a single answer for solving the energy-deficit, I have realized that whenever I repeat the mantra, “Writing doesn’t always mean publishing,” I feel a little more free.

We tend to add pressure onto ourselves that if we’re writing, it needs to immediately be consumed. The instant nature of social media or the “publish” button on any site really helps drive this point home. But the reality is that you can (and sometimes should) create space between what your writing habit looks like and what your publishing habit needs to look like.

Right now, on weekdays I write first thing in the morning and publish immediately thereafter and on weekends I just write. I want to get to the point where I add an afternoon or evening writing session that is just for writing, not for publishing. I know it won’t happen overnight, but…