Should You Take a Break From Writing?

@February 7, 2025, The Author’s Writer

Should you ever take a break from writing?

It depends.

You can take off a day or two, maybe even a week, but, then again. It comes with a price. You will lose your momentum.

Two of my sons were competitive swimmers as teenagers. They swam six days per week for at least two hours per practice. Practice also included ocean swimming, running, and calisthenics under the watchful eye of their swim coach.

They never missed a practice. They were dedicated. They knew that if they did, they would swim slower. And they did not want to get slower. They were disciplined. They wanted to swim to the best of their ability. They also wanted to win races.

You see, swimmers win and lose races by one one-hundredth of a second. So, obviously, the competition is fierce. Now, I have always loved swimming. I also enjoy watching it, too. The two swimmers that have always impressed me were Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky. I always wanted to know why they were so ahead of the pack of other excellent swimmers. What made them so competitive? What made them so good? Obviously, it was their dedication and commitment and, most importantly, their love of the sport.

I remember watching Michael Phelps on T.V. preparing for his races, deep in thought, highly focused. I later learned he visualized his races and how he wanted them to play out.

So, the question to ask is: As a writer, how do you want your writing to play out? Are you focused on your end goal? What does that look like? Is it writing your first novel? Finishing that business book?

Or do you make excuses of why you cannot write today?

Maybe you are busy. There is so much to do. You have to be here and there. You have to see this person and that. But do you really? What is most important to you?

And then, there are distractions. The internet, company, parties, work, etc.

But why do you let other things get in the way?

One answer is that It could be that writing is just plain old hard work.

It is.

When you set out to write a book, it’s fun. But then the hard work sets in, and the book gets put down.

It could also be that writing is uncomfortable. When we write, we are on a journey of discovery. We delve into our subconscious mind where we encounter lost memories and intense emotions. It is not always easy to face who we are, so we make up excuses why we should not write.

The act of writing is like looking in a mirror.

We may not always like what we see.

The manner in which we write reflects our current state of being and of living.

If we make excuses about writing, then we are probably making excuses about doing other things as well. If we cannot focus on our priorities, we may not have a clear picture of what those priorities are.

Distractions are an easy out and a way of avoiding uncomfortable feelings.

And yet it is the act of writing that helps us understand, come to terms with, and get past those feelings.

So, if you have been making excuses, what should you do?

The first thing to do is stop making excuses and start moving forward toward your goal.

Make it your number one priority.

Wake up early if you have to and write before everyone else does and before those distractions set in.

When you put yourself first, even if it is only for ten or fifteen minutes per day, you will start to feel different. You will actually feel better. You are moving toward your goal and are feeling accomplished. When you feel this way, there is no stopping you. The writing pages will begin to add up. You will see your book getting finished.

The effect of cumulative writing is exponential and insurmountable. There’s no way around it. This feels so good.

Now, when procrastination tempts you, you will not give in. You will see it for what is and keep working toward your goal!

So, set a goal. Visualize your dream. Make it real.

Write every day, even if it’s only a few minutes per day. You’re taking small steps toward your goal.

Watch those pages add up.

Feel good.

Keep writing. Put pen to paper.

Just write the story. It’s now calling you.