I don’t think there’s a single writer out there who hasn’t felt that they don’t have time to write. More things are demanding our time and attention now than ever. Not only that, writing doesn’t usually pay a living wage, meaning the majority of us are doing it as a side hustle. We’re trying to balance full-time work, families and young children along with the pressures of churning out as many books as possible and marketing them. Honestly, it’s a miracle that anyone succeeds at getting a novel out!

This is the time of year when writers start talking about NaNoWriMo. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month which takes place every November. During this annual challenge, writers from all over commit themselves to writing a 50 000 word novel in a single month. The organization offers other smaller challenges throughout the year as well. You may have seen writers talking about it on social media or preparing themselves to participate. If you spend a lot of time in writing communities, you may be feeling pressure to participate yourself. Before you make a decision about whether NaNoWriMo is right for you, here are some important things to consider.

If writing feels like pulling teeth right now, don’t worry, you’re not alone. We all go through slumps, burnout and periods of discouragement with writing. The good news is there is always a way out. You may not feel excited and inspired every time you write, but a few mindset changes can help you overcome procrastination and long bouts of writer’s block.

When I was younger, I spent a lot of time imagining myself as a best-selling author. I pictured days pouring my ideas into my laptop at a coffee shop with a steaming Chai Latte beside me. I imagined myself signingbooks for fans at my favourite book store. There was just one problem. I didn’t have any of the habits I needed to make any of this a reality. I was stuck in dreaming when I needed to be doing.

Choosing writing, whether it’s your hobby, side-project or dream career, means choosing patience. While it can be incredibly frustrating when everything from your individual progress to the industry itself seems to be moving at a snail’s pace, there are a lot of lessons to learn when we slow down.