"The comeback is always stronger than the setback."
There is something buried so deep within me to write that I simply refuse to ignore it anymore.
Lately, the will to return to the page has felt like an uphill battle. I’ve spent months wrestling with the usual suspects: procrastination, self-doubt, low energy, and a heavy dose of imposter syndrome. With the explosion of AI and how rapidly the publishing landscape is shifting, writing nowadays can feel incredibly intimidating. Overwhelming, even. There are days I want to give up on it entirely, to just walk away and not worry about it.
But my heart won’t let me. It keeps pushing.
So, here I am. Showing up instead of giving up. I’m refusing to call it quits on the very thing that brings me the most joy. And most importantly, I am refusing to let the stories I’ve poured my time into die just because I’m “not published yet.”
It is so easy to watch other writers soar, to look at their “success” and feel entirely left behind while I’m still trying to chip away at draft two of a manuscript. It’s an invisible competition with no one but myself—pure madness, I know. But I’ve decided the most reasonable thing I can do right now is just get back to the writing, in whatever form captures my attention.
What Writing Looked Like Behind the Scenes
I’m sharing this because I know someone else out there needs to hear it: even when you are in a slump, you are still a writer.
Lately, my writing life has looked like a beautiful, chaotic mosaic. I have multiple unfinished novel projects, and one completed manuscript currently sitting in the grueling edit phase. I have dabbles of poetry tucked into various notebooks, waiting to be brought to life someday. There are self-paced writing courses I am slowly (emphasis on slowly) working through, a steady diet of writing craft podcasts, and a lot of late-night journal entries.
I mention all of this because, through the challenges, the flame never actually went out. It might not feel like I’m moving forward because I don’t have a finished book on a shelf yet, but the act of creating is still happening. That alone is enough.
What Writing Looks Like Now
Moving forward, Substack is my playground. It’s a space to discover, experiment, and transition from an emerging writer into the professional I want to become.
But to do that sustainably, I have to be honest with myself. I am giving myself permission to write as much or as little as my heart desires. That might mean one essay this month, and five the next. It might mean some weeks I don’t post at all, choosing instead to read, listen, and learn from this incredible community.
You can expect to see my honest thoughts on the craft, some short fiction, and reflections on the writing challenges I’m taking on. There will be no grand promises or rigid schedules—only lessons learned, growth, and a massive amount of grace. Because let’s face it: this writing life ain’t easy.
If you are also returning to the page or stepping back onto Substack after a hiatus, I applaud you. It’s a brave thing to do. Just know that you aren’t alone on this journey, even when the blank page feels incredibly lonely.
We’re not giving up. We’re showing up and moving forward!
As it endures a lot
“even when you are in a slump, you are still a writer.”
You dropped so many gems in this post! Welcome back! 🩷😌