Did you start writing your book when you were full of inspiration and never-ending ideas? Are you now feeling a bit tired of that said idea? Does your creative well feel dry? On some occasions, it’s not always best to push through those pain points for the sake of finishing.
In fact, you should gauge how you’re feeling and try to deduce why you’re feeling that way. You may find yourself to be at a point where it’s best you archive your manuscript.
An example of this can be if your life has become more stressful than it was when you first started your book. This can have a harsh negative effect on your writing. If this is you, you may need to pause your book until life is back to a more manageable place.
If your lack of desire for writing doesn’t have any external pain points, you may need to decide if the story or topic is still something you want to write or even feel capable of doing.
If you’re experiencing one of these 4 sentiments, you may want to archive your manuscript.
1. Another project is calling to you.
Do you find yourself constantly thinking about another story idea instead of the one in front of you? It may be a sign that you need to change gears. Set aside the writing project in front of you for a few days to focus on the new idea. You may find that the new project is truly what you should be focused on. Plus, you can always go back to the other project later.
2. You feel stuck.
Writing a book is hard work, but it shouldn’t leave you feeling stuck every time you sit down to write. If you’re constantly fighting to unstick yourself, examine what’s causing the issue. If it’s fixable—too much distracting when you’re trying to write—then make adjustments to create a better environment. If there are no roadblocks to clear and you still feel stuck, it may be time to step back from your manuscript for a bit. Give yourself a scheduled amount of time away from your work. If you come back in two weeks and are ready to start writing again, great! If you still feel stuck after that time away, it may be time to move on to a new project.
3. You avoid writing.
Similar to feeling stuck, if you are actively avoiding your writing—meaning you have plenty of time to write but are choosing to avoid it—take some time to understand why you’re avoiding your writing. If you’re working on a memoir and are up against a vulnerable chapter, it’s okay to write a different chapter instead. You may even find yourself in a better place to write it if you grant yourself space.
If it isn’t what you’re writing that you’re trying to avoid, but instead are trying to avoid writing altogether, you may want to set your manuscript aside and focus on ways you can refill your creative cup. Go for walks, read a book, spend time with family and friends to boost your creativity. Give yourself the necessary space you need and see if that helps.
4. Your story idea is more advanced than your current writing level.
Every now and then, we’ll all have an idea for a story but our writing skillset isn’t advanced enough to be able to pull off writing such a book. If you have gotten yourself into a situation where the book you want to write is more elaborate than what your current writing skills are capable of, give yourself the freedom to set it down and try practicing with stories that are more in the wheelhouse of your current writing level. The more you write, the more you advance your craft. Then, when you feel confident enough to pick back up that more involved story idea, it will be there ready and waiting for you.
If you do decide to put a particular writing project away, don’t delete it or get rid of any of your notes. Many writers have gone back to long-forgotten drafts and ended up finishing them. Sometimes, writing is more about knowing when the timing is right to tell a specific story—and that’s not always right when you have the idea.
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