Hello!

Something that's been coming up in Writers' Cafe recently (and in my own life!) is feeling guilty about writing.

Have you ever carved out a precious hour – or even 15 minutes – to write, only to end up feeling guilty about taking that time away from everything else?

It might look like this:

• You get your writing done ... but then you feel bad about leaving your kids to stare at screens while you were doing it.
• You get your writing done ... but then you feel bad about all the tasks on your to-do list that you weren't doing instead.
• You get some writing done ... but then you feel bad that you didn't write more and make the most of your time.
• You don't get any writing done ... so then you feel bad about procrastinating!

Feelings of guilt can crop up in so many ways around writing. And yet I don't think most of us would feel guilty about, say, taking 30 minutes for a workout, or spending an hour watching a TV show with a family member (even if the TV show ended up being a bit rubbish).

But when it comes to writing, we might feel that we're being "selfish", "self-indulgent", or "wasting time".

And that can really get in the way of actually doing the writing.

So here are a couple of perspectives you might want to consider:

If writing is a hobby to you, it's perfectly okay to have a hobby. There are all kinds of hobbies out there – golf, cross-stitch, pickleball, baking, photography, swimming, woodwork, board games – and there's nothing wrong with any of them. Having downtime for something you enjoy is good for you (and for the people around you).

If writing is a deeply held dream for you, then it truly matters. It's part of who you are: it's important, and very much worth space and time in your life. Perhaps your dream is around being published, or even making a living from your writing: you have just as much right to pursue that dream as everyone else does.

Please don't let guilt get in the way of your writing. Don't let it spoil the time you do have to write.

If you're still struggling to accept that, you might find it's helpful to think about what you'd want to say to someone else who's feeling guilt about their writing. Over 1,800 people get this newsletter, so imagine one of them, facing the same feelings of guilt that you feel.

What would you say to them?

Happy writing,

Ali

P.S. Want to write a novel by the end of 2026, with my support and in the company of fellow writers who truly get it? Writers' Cafe is opening up for new members on Monday. 🥳

You can get in a little early if you're on the waiting list ... just click this link and you'll be automatically added:

👉 Join the Writers' Cafe waiting list​

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