Samantha Steiner

WRITING TIP: WRITING AND REST

For a time, I was bothered by the question: what do I do on the days when I don’t feel like writing?

I tried forcing myself to write every day. Sometimes I got into a groove, but sometimes I felt resentful. Sometimes the resentment lingered and I went weeks without writing.

I tried taking the day off. Sometimes I felt newly inspired, but sometimes I felt frustrated that I wasn’t getting pen to paper.

I tried taking the attitude, maybe I’ll write today and maybe I won’t. This felt like procrastination. I was neither writing nor resting.

Now, I decide ahead of time. Tomorrow will be a writing day or tomorrow will be a rest day. I set aside the question of whether I feel like writing. I made a deal with myself, and I want to keep it.

Samantha Steiner is a writer and visual artist. Her awards include Best Microfiction by Pelekinesis Press, Featured Fiction Writer by Lammergeier Magazine, and Shortlisted Writer for Battery Pack by Neon Books. She has received fellowships from the Fulbright Program and the Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts. Her. Follow her on social media @Steiner_Reads. www.samanthasteinerart.wordpress.com