How to not waste time

Why spend months (and maybe even years) writing a book that might not sell?

I get this question all the time—but not from writers who've just begun drafting. At that stage, they’re too excited about the prospect of fulfilling what’s usually a lifelong dream. It's only after the going gets tough—and that’s often 75 to 100 pages into a draft, when big decisions need to be made, or during a major revise—that they start to wonder: "Why bother?"

Of course, the subtext to why bother is almost always, "This might not work—which means I'll have wasted my time."

But doing something that really matters to you is never a waste of time. In fact, if there’s one sure thing about writing a book, it's that you can’t go through the process without improving. Spending week after week with a story or concept boosts your resilience. It helps you master time management—and your emotions. It brings clarity and gives you purpose. Above all, it makes you a better writer.

It's important to note that struggling isn't necessarily a sign that something's wrong. It doesn’t mean your book is terrible, won’t sell, or will tick off thousands of Goodreads reviewers. Regular readers know I'm a big fan of asking yourself how any given goal or task can be easier, because your brain will often supply you with great ways to simplify things. But sometimes work feels like work—and that's okay, too. And when it does, it's crucial to actually answer the question, "Why am I bothering to do this?"

Because when you remind yourself that writing a book is one of the best ways to make your career and life even better, you’re going to appreciate—if not enjoy—the process more. And that makes it so much more likely that you'll keep going.