The Quiet Work Writers Don't Talk About

At Time to Write, we get together on Zoom twice every day, and work. Now, this work is not always obvious. We often joke that “thinking about writing” counts, and I absolutely stand by that. Where would we be if we never allowed ourselves to just think, without pressure? We don’t always have to be physically writing. One of the group often goes for a “thinking walk” and that is a great thing to do because it gets you out of the lonely place that a writing desk can often be, and you get fresh air blowing away your cobwebs. As a group we all have days of what we call “faffing”, which is basically looking at the status quo – what we’ve written, what we are thinking about writing, making lists, procrastinating by doing the Wordle. Reading. Daydreaming. Sleeping. It all counts.

The point is, whatever it is you do on your ongoing journey of being a writer that gets you to your next writing session is okay. We all do it, we all flounder, we all have quiet times.

Tell me what you do on the days you are not obviously writing stories. Nothing will be weird, and this is not a judgy place. Spill in the comments!

---