Sometimes, stopping is a good thing

July 21, 2018 by Jeffrey Bruner

There’s no shortage of advice on how to keep writing, but Jennifer Haupt argues that it’s also important to know when to stop writing.

She knows from experience — she spent eleven years toiling away on her debut novel, In the Shadow of 10,000 Hills.

There were stretches where she dreaded writing and when she knew what she’d written didn’t do anything for her story.

So take it from her: These strategies will help you realize how and when to stop writing, and save you misery in the process.

• Give yourself permission to take a break.

• Put aside your work in progress with love.

• Replenish your creative energy.

• Keep writing — and learning.

• Put a clock on your timeout.

She goes into more detail on each on the Writer’s Digest blog.