Why Are Writers In Such A Rush?

When it comes to writing a novel, there are many obstacles that writers must face. There are practical elements such as creating plot outlines, doing research and building your characters and the world they live in. There are also external hurdles such as procrastination, distraction, and, of course, finding the time to write.

The one thing that stops books from being finished than anything else is authors giving up on them before they are done. Most site that they ran out of motivation, or put differently, that they just weren’t able to find the time to write.

So perhaps there is a question that’s worth asking. Why do we find it so necessary to finish our novels so quickly? Why are we in such a rush?

Writers are told that it is essential to have a schedule, to set goals and deadlines, to keep progressing, and to write every day if we can. Of course, this is brilliant in theory, but does it put unnecessary pressure on us to finish our books, not in our own time, but because of some pressing deadline that, when it sails past us, makes us feel like a failure?

Writing in a rush can mean that you do yourself a disservice. Not only will your writing be less considered, less smart. You will also inevitably end up rushing through the editing process, the cover design process, the marketing process -all of it, just to see your book on the shelves. Rushing drains your creativity, makes you stressed, forces you to write when you are not in the best shape, creates more mistakes and can hurt your writing overall.

So what can be done about this need to hurry our writing?

Reconsider your plan. You may thrive on deadlines. However, if you don’t create realistic ones, you’ll see them fly by, and then start to feel negative about your writing and demotivated to continue. Try to figure out where this need to rush it comes from. Does it really matter if you finish your novel this year or next? Wouldn’t you prefer to write well then write to a deadline? A good book writing plan will also consider everything you need to do to create your masterpiece. You need time to think, to brainstorm, to write, to edit, to research, to plot, to plan, to take breaks, to do other things. Factor everything in, not just writing time, and at least you’ll give yourself a much more realistic idea of your timeframe for writing a book.

Don’t compare yourself to others. It doesn’t matter if so and so has already released their third book this year. You need to do things at your own pace and comparing yourself to other authors won’t help you, It will only make you feel as though you aren’t doing a good enough job. Remember, good things come to those who wait, make that your book writing mantra if you prefer to take your time!

Get smarter with your time. It is only through being truly honest about what is important to you, what you want to achieve , and what will make you feel great that you can push yourself in the right direction to use your time effectively. But don’t beat yourself up if you discover that you don’t want to prioritize writing every day. It’s OK to have other priorities and things that you are passionate about in life too.

It’s essential for writers to remind themselves that writing can be a pleasure, a real joy in our lives. So next time you are feeling stressed and pressured to write or to meet a self-set deadline, take a step back and ask yourself if you need to write in such a rush?
Perhaps there is another, better way.

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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