Keep Going

Writing Our Way Through

The news of the week has knocked me back. It can be hard to head into the quiet of the writing desk and focus on the work we need to get done. But, writing is also a job. My husband works in a hospital, and he doesn't skip work when he's feeling sad or uninspired.

Last week we took our car to the mechanic, and he was there. I don't know if he has problems in his relationship or is bothered by the news reports. I wish him well, but I just want him to fix my car.

It's tough, writing, because our jobs require us to be quiet and focused. We must observe, notice, take in those details, and then apply them to our fiction or essays, articles, or screenplays so others can understand them too.

This is hard to do when external factors push in whether they be our worries over a sick kid, a late check, or stories of war and natural disasters and people suffering. It isn't easy to gather ourselves and sit quietly and get the work done.

This is the work of it. Despite my anxiety, I have a story due. So, over the years I've cultivated my mental preparedness kit to help me get to work when other things are pushing in. I share some of the tricks I use to stay on track, like writing about the thing that seems to be nagging at my attention and then getting down to the work, and other ideas.

How do you keep going to meet your writing deadlines when the world pushes in?

Join our Simply Write community at https://simplywrite.substack.com and let me know how you handle the ups and downs in a writing life join us as we talk about the writing business and craft and crafting a writer's life.

And if you like what you hear on Simply Write w/Polly, please drop a star rating or review. It helps other writers discover us.

Thanks. I appreciate you reading, writing, and listening with us.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices