As I continue working on my second book, while also querying my first, and balancing a full-time job, I’ve found myself thinking more and more about what it actually means to be a writer in between everything else.
Because the truth is… it’s not always as simple as just “making time to write.”
Some days I come home with ideas still running through my mind, waking up in the middle of the night desperate to write down a new idea that popped-up and other days I feel completely drained, with little to no energy to even open my document. And it made me wonder, how do we keep showing up for our writing when life itself doesn’t slow down?
Because writing, especially working on a manuscript, requires a certain level of focus, creativity, and most of all, a lot of patience. And those are not always easy to access after a full day of work.And sometimes, life brings unexpected things that shift everything.
A few months ago, I lost my brother unexpectedly, after a very short period of illness. He was the one that created this website for me to begin with so I could share my writing with the world. But him passing away so suddenly, is one of those moments that quietly changes how everything feels in life, including writing. There are days where writing feels like an escape, something I can hold onto. And then there are days where it feels distant, almost unimportant compared to everything else.
Right now I find myself in between projects; working on my second book, while sending out queries for my first, and slowly starting to wonder if I might need to step back from it for now. Not because it doesn’t matter but because sometimes distance is also part of the process. Maybe it’s something I will return to later, after I’ve finished my second book. With fresh eyes, a clearer mind, and a different perspective on the story I once thought was finished.
There is this expectation, sometimes from others but mostly from ourselves, that we should be writing consistently, improving constantly, and somehow still enjoying every part of the process.
I find the reality is a bit more complicated. Writing while working full-time can feel like you are living in two different worlds. One that is structured, scheduled, and demanding. The other is creative, fluid, and deeply personal. And sometimes, a third one, where you are simply trying to process things, quietly, in your own time. Trying to balance all of that is not always easy. Some days, writing flows naturally. Other days, it feels like something you have to push yourself towards.
And I think that is something we don’t talk about enough. So instead of trying to force a perfect routine, I’ve started to look at it a little differently. Not every writing session has to be long and not every moment has to be productive and not every day will feel inspired.
Showing up, even in small ways, still counts. Even if it’s just writing a few lines. Even if it’s just thinking about your story. Even if it’s just opening your document and sitting with it for a while. Because progress, especially in writing, is not always visible right away.
And maybe improving as a writer is not only about how much we write…
But also about how we continue, even when life changes in ways we didn’t expect. I’m still figuring out what balance looks like for me but I do know this, these stories are ones I want to finish and share with the world one day.
No matter how long it takes.
