It's okay to say "Not yet."
I'm learning when to let go of projects and plans.
Yesterday a good friend of mine,
, gave me some priceless advice that I wanted to share with all of you.I was feeling pretty demoralized. If you’ve been following this Substack for a while, then you know that one of my dreams is to write an SF/F novel. (Remember my “Novel Endeavor” posts?) I’ve even been working with a writing coach to outline an epic fantasy series. But when the time came this month to finally begin drafting the first book. . .
Nothing.
Well, almost nothing.
I got about two pages into a first draft before slamming into writer’s block. The words just wouldn’t come. My imagination was blank. The characters wouldn’t speak to me, they wouldn’t tell me their story.
The causes of this block are hard for me to pin down, but I can think of a few possibilities:
It’s possible that I’m trying to force this fantasy novel out of me when my subconscious is just not ready to tackle it yet.
Or the trouble could be that I think I need to write an epic fantasy because it’s what I believe certain people expect from me.
Or maybe the pressure is simply unbearable because I’ve convinced myself that this particular book is important or necessary and that if I don’t write it, I will be going against the will of God. (!?!?!)
When I shared these ideas with Jake, he acknowledged that they are all valid possibilities. I also expressed a desire to maybe put the epic fantasy project on hold for a while. Jake’s response was extremely helpful:
I think that if you set it [the fantasy novel] aside and it keeps nagging at you, maybe it is meant to be. But don’t spend your valuable time on something you think someone else wants you to write if you really don’t want to. It’s also okay to say “Not yet.”
It’s okay to say “Not yet.”
That was an insight so simple and clear that it immediately changed my perspective on this writer’s block situation. I had been mired in self-pity and self-reproach for my inability to stick to my goal of getting the first draft of a fantasy novel written this quarter. I thought I couldn’t put the project aside without “giving up” on that goal. I had framed the whole exercise in terms of zero sum “success” or “failure.”
But, thanks to Jake, I realized if I give myself permission to say “Not yet”, I am not “giving up.” I am not admitting defeat. I am simply rescheduling a creative project. I am wisely reevaluating my priorities. If the epic fantasy draft is causing me nothing but anxiety and frustration, if it is draining all of my creative energy, then the best course of action is to put it on pause. After all, what is the point of writing if I’m feeling miserable because I’m forcing myself to work on something that I’ve lost enthusiasm for and interest in?
So, what to do in the meantime? What is to be my primary creative goal for this quarter if the fantasy novel is off the table, for now? Two possible (and not necessarily mutually exclusive) options come to mind at once:
As you know, my current draft of Dragonslayer Saints was recently rejected. When I got the news, I didn’t start a new draft right away. I put the manuscript aside for a few weeks to get some distance from it and let new ideas brew up naturally from my imagination. Now I’m itching to start incorporating the feedback I received into a completely new incarnation of this book. I’m certain that I can transform Dragonslayers into a great book. And I feel that the time is right.
I spent some time yesterday looking over a few of the science fiction stories (mostly space opera) that I’ve written over the past couple of years. I discovered that they were good—really good. I don’t say this lightly. (After all, I’m usually a pretty brutal critic of my own work.) With my academic background in the natural sciences, my general geeky knowledge, and love of SF in particular, I think I’m capable of turning out some interesting stories in this genre. Also, many of my freelance essays have been about SF movies and books. It definitely would be “easier” (that is, more natural) to market myself as an SF writer than as a fantasy writer.
I think that completing the top-to-bottom rewrite of Dragonslayer Saints should be my priority going forward this quarter. That is a specific, measurable, and attainable goal. I would like to have it ready for beta-readers by the end of the summer.
And as a bonus “fun project” to work on in my spare time, I think I’ll do some science fiction worldbuilding. Creating new worlds and compiling “in-universe” lore is always something I enjoy doing for its own sake, even if it doesn’t lead to publishable stories.
So, thank you Jake, for your timely advice! (And, dear reader, if you have a moment, please subscribe to Jake’s newsletter:
. Jake’s one of the friendliest, most creative guys I know.)Now I’d love to hear from my subscribers! Have you ever dealt with writer’s block? How did you overcome it? Have you ever had to put a project aside for a while in order to reorient your creative goals? Please leave a comment below and let’s get a conversation started!
Until next time—God bless, take care, and happy reading!