What are your excuses for not writing?

I’m sure they’re good ones, because I have plenty of good excuses, too! And I don’t want you to think I’m being dismissive or unkind about your excuses – our reasons for not writing are generally based on real difficulties, or real fears.

So if you’ve used any of the excuses on this list, please don’t feel attacked in any way. All of them are – to some extent – valid. But they can also be overcome.

Excuse #1: “I Don’t Have Enough Time”

This is probably the number one excuse for not writing – and for most writers, it’s a very understandable one. We lead busy lives: I know writers with full time jobs and long commutes, and writers with several small children to take care of. Even writers who are retired might be volunteering, caring for grandchildren part-time, or looking after an ill or disabled spouse.

Overcome it: Most of us have some time we could use for writing. It might mean making some hard decisions (like setting aside another hobby for the time being) or it might mean getting other people on board (like asking your spouse, or another family member, to do more of the childcare). It might well mean getting into a consistent writing routine, so that the little time you do have is used well. (more…)

I got into freelancing by accident.

Almost eleven years ago now, I started a blog (not this one – it took me a couple of attempts to settle on a homebase online). To try to get more readers, I submitted a “guest post” to a much bigger blog.

To my delight, they accepted it.

And then, out of the blue, they offered me a paying gig, at $20 per (short) blog post. I still remember how surprised, and thrilled, I was to get that email. I’d never thought of freelancing before then: I was working on a novel and my big writing dream was to land a publishing deal.

After a few months of freelancing (for that blog and several others), I was able to quit my  day job. Ten years on, I’m still freelancing – among lots of other things! – and I still love it.

Perhaps like me back then, your focus is on writing novels. Or maybe you’re a poet, or you run a blog of your own.

You might have considered freelancing, only to think that it isn’t for you – or it might never have even crossed your mind.

Here are seven reasons you might want to give it a bit more thought:

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