9 Excuses for Not Writing — And How to Overcome Them
Make content, not excuses.
I started publishing content this year, and there was a voice navigating me through, that motivated me to write my first answer on Quora, and a month and a half later I started publishing here on medium. All I had in my mind was to reach people and help at least 1 person with whatever I know.
Sharing what you know is underrated because what may be obvious to you may be revolutionary to somebody and can change his entire world.
Therefore, sharing your journey with others becomes so important, and one of the effective ways to do this is by writing online and sharing it publicly.
Here are the 9 excuses keeping you away from writing —
#1. I have no time to write —
Well! Nobody has time, every one of us is busy doing something or the other. One has to make time for the things that are important to you, it's as simple as that. wherever you focus your energies, you’ll start seeing the results. This applies to everything, every skill that you want to learn. until and unless you make time and prioritize, you are going nowhere.
Here’s the antidote- wake up early, give up Netflix, check your biggest time drains, utilize them effectively, and there you go.
#2. “Everything has been said and done already” —
This is the biggest myth of all time. Even if everything has been said before but not in the way you can say it. Everyone has their own style of presenting ideas. So, don't run behind the newness as long as your writing provides value and is thought-provoking people will appreciate it.
#3. I am not an expert —
Nobody cares. All that matters is you get results.
As long as you are ready to learn and implement you can be a prolific writer. you don't need any expensive courses and degrees related to writing in order to get there.
pro tip — you already have everything you need to become a writer, think less, and take action.
#4. People will hate my writing —
I agree your first draft will suck, your first few writing attempts will suck. The more you write the better you will get. you will be rewarded for consistency. I cringe when I read my first few posts on Medium.
And that’s how it should be. you learn with time and become better at it. There is no shortcut to it. everyone who has achieved something significant did start from scratch.
#5. My stories are going to be boring —
You have had life experiences worth sharing, we all have, sharing your story is a skill that needs to be developed. And this takes a lot of practice. I would like to break this myth that your story is not boring.
The difference comes in the way you portray the emotions behind the story. And here’s the fix, you can become better at it with practice and engaging with people who are good storytellers.
#6. People won't take me seriously —
As long you love the process and put in sincere efforts, you are doing great. your job is to learn, implement and just publish. Haters and doubters will rear their heads and this will in turn make you doubt yourself.
pro tip- cut these people out, Focus on your next task and keep moving forward.
#7. Writing is too hard —
Writing is hard. but nothing worthwhile can be achieved by staying in the comfort zone. writing requires focus, diligence, and a lot of practice. But guess what you can work up these things and get yourself going really well. let me ask you a question was your high school easy, your first degree, or your current job? Nothing comes easy. we have to put in the required effort in order to achieve something significant.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done”. — Nelson Mandela
#8. I am not tech savvy —
The days of maintaining a fancy WordPress blog with daily posts are gone. These days you have a lot more alternatives to build a loyal audience. you don't need to be proficient in coding, HTML, or web development. None of this is required instead, you can write tweets, emails, or publish on LinkedIn, or Medium, and gain a huge following.
#9. I need to learn more about how to write —
Probably. There’s always more to learn. No one masters an art form. writing is a journey, a process of becoming better each time you hit publish. learning and evolving with time is essential for growth. But on-the-job experience is equally important.
The best way to learn how to write a book is to write one. Keep reading those how-to books and articles but don't let that prevent you from hitting the keyboard and creating something of your own.
Conclusion
There are always going to be moments and circumstances that will intrude on our writing with a force we can't ignore. But most of the time the only thing keeping us from writing is ourselves. so don't let these excuses sway you, from achieving your goals. It's better to be in the game than to just watch other people play.
you have what it takes to be a good writer. keep learning, and keep writing, one day consistency will pay off.
