From The Productive Indie Fiction Writer:
You know what’s really exciting?
Finishing a novel.
Even better? Finishing a lot of novels.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: that kind of creative momentum — the kind that actually builds a career — is powered by what the outside world sees as a “boring” life.
And I’m not going to soften that for you.
If you’re serious about writing, I mean serious-serious, then at some point you’re going to have to start giving things up. And not just a Netflix show or two. I mean real, soul-wrenching, this-or-that decisions.
I’ve made them. I’ve given up socializing. I’ve given up making clothes, jewelry, and other crafts I loved. I didn’t chase a high-powered career, even though I could have. I took lower-paid, lower-stress jobs — on purpose — because then I had enough mental bandwidth left over to write.
That’s what it looks like. Not glamorous. Not bohemian. Not full of charming chaos and cocktails with friends.
Predictable. Quiet. Structured. Repetitive.
And that repetition is what gets books written. That’s what gets careers built.
It’s not that you can’t write if you have a demanding job, or kids, or a full plate of responsibilities. Many writers do. But the math doesn’t change: writing takes time. So if your plate is already full, something else has to come off it.
Not everything can stay.
This is the part a lot of newer authors gloss over. They say they want to write, but they also want everything else — the busy social life, the career advancement, the hobbies, the travel, the packed weekends, the obligations.
And then they wonder why they never finish anything.
If you want to be a writer, a real working writer, then everything in your life has to be examined and asked: does this support my writing, or does it compete with it?
Because if you’re setting yourself up for a long-term career — a lifetime career — as an author, then you have to act accordingly. It doesn’t mean you give up everything, but it does mean you give up something. And probably several somethings.
So the next time someone tells you your life seems boring, just nod and smile.
You’ve built the perfect life for an author.
Tracy Cooper-Posey
SRP Author and owner of The Productive Indie Fiction Writer
