Stop comparing your first drafts to published novels.
(Even your own!)
They’ve had:
• alpha readers
• beta readers
• multiple rounds of revisions
• editors
• proofreaders
It’s not a fair comparison.
How do we have amnesia about this every time we start a new project?
#writers
Writing is hard.
Not writing might be harder.
Sorry — these are our options.
😬
#writers
6 things that have nothing to do with being a “real writer”:
• writing slow
• starting over
• taking breaks
• feeling unsure
• having messy drafts
• changing your mind
#writers
You don’t need another productivity hack.
You need to understand what’s really blocking you.
If you’re ready to write again, check out The Writer’s Reboot →
sladeroberson.com/free
#writersblock #writers
For years I believed my problem was time.
But when I finally had time, I still couldn’t write.
That’s when I realized it wasn’t about productivity — it was about permission.
I had to let myself begin before I felt “ready.”
#writers
Finishing a book didn’t come from discipline alone.
It came from understanding why I kept stalling.
The fear, the perfectionism, the pressure to get it right on the first try.
Once I saw that clearly, everything became more doable.
#writers
I used to think not starting meant I didn’t want it badly enough.
But it was never lack of desire.
It was fear.
Fear of getting it “wrong.”
Now I know — the only way to find the book inside me was to begin writing it.
#writers
Your writing process isn’t “slow.”
It’s thoughtful.
Deliberate.
Sustainable.
Don’t trade that for someone else’s shortcut.
#writers
Yes, and none of that has anything to do with "word count for the day." Storytellers aren't word generators.
I don’t teach people how to “hustle” and "productivity hack" their way to a book.
I help people stop spinning in shame and self doubt and finally write.
If that’s where you are, I created The Writer's Reboot for you →
#writersblock #writers
It’s liberating to slay the “should’s” 😊
”Why am I such a slow writer?”
Because it’s your book.
Because you care.
Because you’re learning how YOU write.
#writers
I try to think of my first draft as a conversation with myself instead of a performance in front of everyone.
#writers
Honoring your energy is crucial and yet we beat ourselves up over this so much. We can only do what we can do. Burning out isn’t virtuous.
Happy to hear it resonates. 😊
When I'm stuck, I zoom out.
The problem isn't always in my story.
Sometimes it's the pressure I've placed on my story.
#writersblock #writers
7 better goals than Writing Every Day:
• finishing a scene
• rewriting with clarity
• honoring your energy
• learning your rhythms
• making space to think
• writing without shame
• coming back after feeling like quitting
#writers
Thank you. And well said!
Your first draft doesn’t need to be a masterpiece.
It just needs to exist.
If you’re struggling to get there, my weekly emails are written for you.
Start here →
sladeroberson.com/free
#writersblock #writers
What I used to call writer’s block I now know to be shame, perfectionism, and unrealistic expectations.
Clearing those gave me my voice back.
#writersblock #writers
The middle of your draft feeling like a disaster?
It’s not failure.
It means you’re in it.
It means it’s real.
Keep going.
#writers
I didn’t start finishing novels until I let go of being “a great writer” and just focused on being a consistent one.
Turns out that was enough.
#writers
You don’t have to earn the right to write your book.
You’re allowed to start with what you have — even if it’s sketchy, even if you’re unsure, even if it pisses people off.
#writers
The hardest book for me to write was #2 in a series... Your experience is a great reminder to look for simplicity in solutions. It also reminds me of some advice: keep the story simple; let the characters be complicated.
Wonderful! How do you feel?
Overthinking isn’t clarity — it’s stalling.
If you’ve been stuck circling the same project for years, it’s time for a reset.
Check out The Writer’s Reboot
7 signs your writer’s block isn’t laziness:
• You have too many ideas
• You second-guess every sentence
• You rewrite the same chapter
• You start new projects to avoid old ones
• You over-research
• You freeze when it’s time to share
• You feel like a fraud
#writersblock #writers
You don’t need to BELIEVE in yourself to begin.
You just need to BEGIN often enough that belief starts to catch up.
#writers
If your inner voice says, “I can’t do this,” over and over again…
That’s not inspiration failing you.
That’s a belief that needs replacing.
#writersblock #writers
You don’t need to write like a “real writer.”
You need to write like YOU.
Your best rhythm is the one you can keep returning to.
#writers