🌫️ Writing Through Doubt: How to Keep Going When You Feel Like Quitting

How to Keep Going When You Feel Like Giving Up

At some point — often more than once — every writer hits a wall. The page, once a place of curiosity and freedom, starts to feel like a spotlight exposing all your fears. What once felt like possibility now reflects your deepest insecurities back at you.

You begin to doubt your story.

You question whether your voice matters.

You wonder if you have what it takes to actually finish.

And then, quietly, almost imperceptibly, a thought creeps in:

Maybe this isn’t worth it.

Maybe I’m not good enough.

Maybe I should just stop.

But here’s what I want you to remember: having these doubts doesn’t mean you’re failing.

It means you’re invested.

It means you’re reaching for something that matters.

🕳️ The Truth About Doubt

We often think of doubt as the enemy — as something that signals we’re going the wrong way. But in truth, doubt is a natural part of the creative process.

In fact, it shows up most often when we’re doing something brave.

When you begin to dig deeper into your story — or into your own emotional truth — that’s when the voice of fear tends to rise.

It’s not there to sabotage you.

It’s trying, in its own misguided way, to keep you safe. Safe from failure, from rejection, from being fully seen.

But here’s the shift:

Doubt is not a stop sign. It’s a mile marker.

It means you’re on the edge of growth.

It means you’re touching something real.

🔁 Trust the Process (Even When It Feels Pointless)

There will be days — maybe many — when the confidence just isn’t there.

When your writing feels flat, or forced, or full of flaws.

That’s okay.

You don’t need to feel inspired to keep writing.

You just need to keep moving — gently, intentionally.

Here are a few ways to stay connected:

• Revisit a passage you loved writing, and let it remind you of why you started

• Skip ahead and write a scene you’ve been excited about, even if it’s out of sequence

• Journal from your character’s point of view to loosen up the stiffness

• Or, take a break and return with fresh, kinder eyes

The goal isn’t to be perfect — it’s to keep going.

Momentum is more powerful than motivation.

Even one sentence can keep the story alive.

🧠 Rewrite the Story in Your Head

Sometimes the harshest stories we face are the ones we tell ourselves.

That voice that says, “This is garbage,” or “No one will ever care,” feels convincing — but it’s just fear in disguise.

You can talk back.

You can say, “Maybe it’s not great — but that’s part of writing. That’s how stories begin.”

You can say, “Even if no one reads this now, I’m still allowed to write it.”

You don’t need to be fearless to be a writer.

You just need to be willing.

You’re allowed to write messy drafts.

You’re allowed to struggle.

You’re even allowed to doubt yourself — as long as you don’t let that doubt stop you.

🪨 Remember Why You Started

You didn’t sit down to write this story because it was easy.

You started because something inside you needed to bring it to life.

Maybe it was a question you couldn’t let go of.

Maybe it was a character who refused to be quiet.

Maybe it was your own truth, waiting for a place to land.

Whatever it was — it mattered. It still does.

So don’t write for the market.

Don’t write for likes, or trends, or hypothetical success.

Write for the version of you who believed in this story from the start.

That version of you is still in there.

Let them take your hand. Let them lead the way.

💬 Your Turn

Have you ever been close to walking away from your story — or from writing altogether?

What helped you stay the course? What brought you back?

Share your experience in the comments. Let’s be honest with each other — because no one has to do this alone.

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by Katrina de Milano