7 Things A Writer Should Never Do

We like things to be clear.

Unfortunately, they seldom are. In writing and in life, there are always gray areas. How should you market your book? It depends on the type of book, your audience, and the marketing tasks you enjoy.

How should you structure your writing day? It depends on your personal energy peaks and valleys, your other responsibilities, and your priorities.

Sometimes it can seem like we have just too many hard decisions to make, so this week, I figured I’d simplify it a little bit.

After over 20 years making my living writing, I’ve learned a few things that I know you shouldn’t do, no matter what kind of writer you are, or what your particular situation is. I can’t make all your decisions easier, but hey, a few should help, right?

1. A writer should never spend too much time sitting at the computer.

You’ve probably heard that sitting too long is horrible for your health. It’s been linked to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even early death. Standing, however, is no panacea. If you stand too long, you put yourself at risk for leg pain, circulation issues, back pain, joint problems, and more.

What’s the solution? After a career of full-time writing, I’ve experienced pretty much every ache and pain you can get. I’ve suffered back pain so bad I had to work on the floor for two months. I’ve also gone through neck pain, wrist pain, shoulder pain, heel pain, and more. I’ve tried sitting, standing, and a combination of the two. I now know that the key to writing long-term with the least amount of pain possible is to move…a lot.

Tip: Set a timer and every ten minutes switch up your position. I have a standing desk and a high stool. I stand for 10 minutes, then sit on the stool for ten, then go back to standing. About every hour, I go get a fresh glass of water and walk around a minute. The timer is critical. I’m consistently surprised at how quickly 10 minutes goes by! But the timer keeps me moving, and pain-free.

In addition, while standing, make sure your keyboard is low and slanted away from you, to avoid shoulder pain. (Read more about that in our post, “How to Stop Your Computer from Hurting Your Shoulders.”)

2. A writer should never worry about how she “should” write.

You’ve probably heard that some writers outline, and some writers don’t. We’re plotters or pantsers, they say, and the general idea is that we should all live and let live.

But I have attended workshops where reputable teachers repeated over and over again that outlining was the “only” way. As a result, I spent considerable time questioning my own “pantsing” writing process.

Later I found a number of examples of successful writers who eschewed outlining, including Stephen King and Margaret Atwood. What a relief!

The bottom line is that you have to work with your own creative process, whatever that is. Don’t waste time trying to write like someone else writes. Learn all you can about story structure, plot, characterization, etc., but when it comes to actually doing the thing, the point is just to get the words down on paper however you can.

Tip: Write in a way that makes writing fun. You’re likely in this for the long run, so you want to be sure you’re enjoying the ride.

3. A writer should never allow others to determine how important her writing is.

I’ve heard from several writers who tell me that they struggle to find time to write because someone else in their life (significant other, family member, friend) fails to support them. These “others” see the writing as a hobby or trivial activity, and may interrupt the writer during her writing time, put the writer down for investing time in such a useless activity, or otherwise discourage the writer from pursuing her dreams.

It makes sense why writers would struggle under these circumstances. When we first start out, we’re not sure whether we’re doing the right thing. Are we talented enough? Is it worth it to try to write? Will we reap any tangible rewards by doing so? In those early stages, support from others can be what makes the difference between succeeding or failing.

Yet we can’t expect others to understand the desire to write, or the dream of being a writer, when they don’t share those same desires and dreams. We can be grateful for those people in our lives who do support us, but we can’t allow those who don’t to stop us.

In the end, the person who’s support you need most is staring at you in the mirror. Don’t let that person down.

Tip: If you have someone in your life who doesn’t support your writing dreams, stick to your guns. Establish a writing time and don’t allow it to be interrupted. Don’t feel like you have to explain yourself. How you spend your time is up to you!

4. A writer should never stop pursuing his own path.

One of the magical things about having a creative career is the immense freedom that comes with it. You get to determine the direction of that career, and the world is wide open. You can use your strengths and skills to fashion a unique niche that is all yours, and continue to build it throughout the rest of your life.

To believe there are only two or three paths to success is to be fooled. There are countless ways writers have created success for themselves, and you can, too.

Tip: Focus on what you do best. Put your unique talents, skills, and interests together to create an author platform that will attract readers to your work. Stay open to how your career can grow and expand.

5. A writer should never expect too much from his writing.

When we first start writing, usually it’s because we’re drawn to it. It’s fun, therapeutic, a creative outlet, an escape, a way to better communicate with others. And for a while, we’re okay with that.

But then somewhere along the way we start expecting our writing to do more for us. It has to earn money— not just some money, but enough so we can quit our day jobs. It has to bring us attention and recognition. It has to soothe the wounds inside us. It has to make us feel better about ourselves.

That’s when the problems start, because there’s no way that writing can do all of these things. When we expect it to, we set ourselves up for disappointment. That path leads to writer’s block, discouragement, low energy, and slowed progress.

Tip: If you find yourself getting wrapped up in sales, marketing, awards, publication contracts, and all the rest to the detriment of your writing, give yourself a month to let it all go. Forget about all that stuff and just get back to writing for the fun of it. Remind yourself of why you started writing in the first place.

6. A writer should never neglect exercise.

I know. You’re busy. You have a lot going on. It’s hard to consistently find time to go work out. But exercise is the one thing you can do that will help you stay healthy, disease-free, and creatively sharp for years to come.

Exercise not only keeps your body in shape, it keeps your mind in shape, too. Whenever you exercise, you get the blood flowing, which feeds your brain what it needs to focus. Research has found that regular exercise helps improve thinking, memory, mood, attention, and more. If you want to keep your fingers flying over those keys, make sure you’re exercising at least 30 minutes every day.

Tip: If you’re having trouble exercising, take more mini-walks during the day. They can last only 10 minutes as long as you get at least three of them in (more is better). Try walking for 10 minutes first thing in the morning, on your lunch break, and after dinner.

7. A writer should never underestimate how challenging it can be.

I don’t think any writer, when she’s starting out, can imagine how difficult the journey is likely to be. She starts to learn as she begins to experience the bumps in the road, and then the potholes, and then the nasty roadblocks. It’s the way it goes for most of us, and we get through it. The problem comes when a writer thinks, “it should be easier than this.”

I get it. You see other writers succeeding out there, and it seems like you should be able to do the same thing. What you don’t see, however, is how hard or how long those other writers worked to get where they are. You don’t see the skills they developed, the mistakes they made, or the challenges they overcame.

Imagine what it takes to succeed at any other career: to become a doctor, a lawyer, a professor, a scientist. It takes years and years of education, commitment, and hard work. It takes just as much if not more effort to become a successful writer. In many cases, writing requires more of us, as there is no clear-cut path to the top. We have to flounder around, experiment, try and fail, and try again before we figure it out.

It’s not easy. Expecting it to be so only causes angst. Instead, expect a hard, long, arduous journey, but one that is well worth it for most writers.

Tip: Carry your struggles with pride. Another rejection? Welcome to the club. Bad review? We’ve all been there. You’re part of the group. You’re gaining your scars. One day, you’ll tell stories about them. Hang in there. Don’t give up.

Do you have things you think writers should definitely not do?