Write Things: On the Ease of Writing (or the Lack Thereof)

Hello writers,
One of the greatest perks of my work is watching writers take a leap forward. And there are many ways writers grow—vocabulary, technique, consistency, confidence. There are milestone moments too: finishing a draft, hiring an editor, publishing their stories.

As a teacher, those moments are rocket fuel.
But I’ve noticed something I need to share:

If a writer doesn’t enjoy the process—if they can’t find some peace or adventure in the act of writing—no amount of progress or achievement will fix that.

Here’s why.
(Be sure to check out the P.S. in today’s issue!)

The Shift

For writers who struggle to enjoy the process, expectations are often the root cause.

Those expectations might have come from a critical teacher, an unforgiving editor, or a disapproving parent. Doesn’t matter where they came from. What matters is that the writer now believes something is at stake every time they sit down to write—or don’t.

Their inner dialogue is full of “shoulds,” “need to’s,” and “have to’s.”
There’s a right way to write and a wrong way. Good writing and garbage. Good writers and bad ones.
And between where they are now and that finished book? A mountain of pressure.

For writers who see writing as part of their identity or calling, it’s not just about the words. Their worth feels like it’s on the line. Every. Single. Time.

And sure, those stakes can produce powerful work—especially under a deadline. That last-minute panic can push us past perfectionism and expectations, unleashing a tidal wave of creativity.

But over time, this cycle of procrastination and creative flooding becomes a trap. Writers begin to believe that’s just how they work.

It’s not.
It’s just one way you write.
And it’s one that comes with anxiety, inconsistency, and burnout.
Not peace. Not joy. Not the everyday ease you deserve.

The first shift? Stop telling yourself it has to be this way.
The next? Identify those expectations—the Inner Critic’s stories about what’s at stake—and replace them with truths like:

• Writing is self-expression. I get to explore what interests, excites, or terrifies me.
• I can only write from who I am right now—my current feelings, circumstances, and understanding.
• My job is to create something I enjoy. If I choose to revise or share it, my job becomes helping readers understand what matters to me.
• I don’t control creativity. I show up, listen, and wonder what might come. If nothing does, I did my part. I’ll show up again tomorrow.

This isn’t the full solution. But it’s a powerful start.

If you take one thing from this newsletter, let it be this:

The ease and joy you imagine in your “one day” will not appear when your book is done, when you publish, or when you start making money. It only exists in the present.
It only ever can.

So why not enjoy the journey and the destination?
Life is 99.9% journey. The rest is over in a blink.

Don’t spend your life chasing that 0.1%.

Your Next Four Minutes
Prompt: “A leap of faith”

Imagining a new relationship with your writing—or your life—takes courage. And imagination.
Set a timer for four minutes. Write about a leap of faith you want to take, or one a character might take. Or go wherever the prompt leads.

Let the pen move. No editing. No expectations.
Just listen and write.

Because that’s what writers do.

Thank you to everyone who’s shared this newsletter or reached out with feedback—it means the world. And to those who caught last week’s link error… fingers crossed everything works this time.

Until next time, I wish you and your stories all the best,
 

Trevor Martens
Founder, I Help You Write Things

P.S.
As mentioned last week, the Write Things Podcast has launched!
You can listen here or on your favorite streaming platform. Huge thanks to Christine Churchill, Michelle Ramseth, and Denis Fortier for sharing their stories in the first episode. I hope you enjoy them. 

Shareable Link: https://www.ihelpyouwritethings.com/podcasts/write-things-podcast