There’s a very specific pressure that settles onto a writer’s shoulders the moment life gets busy.
(So…always?)
It’s this feeling that we should be writing more. Or differently. Or with some kind of perfect consistency that belongs in another lifetime entirely.
But if motherhood has taught me anything, it’s this:
You can’t bully yourself into a prolific writing season.
Some seasons are abundant. Some are quiet. Some are chaotic.
Some are five minutes long and take place in the school pick-up line just before your kid’s snack explodes in the back seat.
And every one of those seasons is part of your story.
Your Writing Life Is Allowed to Reflect Your Real Life.
There is no “ideal” writing season. There is no universal calendar that all Real Writers™ follow. Seasons shift in response to so many things:
Sleep regressions
New jobs
Sick kids
Plumbing disasters
Big birthdays
Holidays
Your emotional bandwidth
The random curveballs life so loves to throw at us
And you know what?
Writing less during those seasons does not mean you’re falling behind.
It means you’re human.
If your creativity feels slow right now, that doesn’t mean you aren’t a writer. It just means you’re in a different season.
What If the Season You’re In Is the Season You Need?
You may feel like all the external chaos has drowned out your creativity, but in the seasons when it looks like nothing is growing, there’s a good chance your brain is simply gathering the compost it needs for future seedlings to thrive.
You’re noticing things.
You’re collecting experiences.
You’re storing memories.
You’re gaining perspective.
Sometimes the external chaos shakes loose ideas you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.
When your brain is ready—when the soil is nourished—an abundant season will surprise you, and you’ll write whole chapters before breakfast.
Every season has a purpose—even if the purpose is just to remind you that you’re not a machine.
How to Honor the Season You’re In
Here’s a tiny, doable way to start:
1. Name your season.
“Overwhelmed but trying.”
“Quiet and gathering.”
“Chaotic but creative.”
“Exhausted but hopeful.”
There’s power in naming things. It helps you reset the lens through which you’re observing (not judging) your writing life.
2. Adjust your expectations to match.
If you’re in a survival season, maybe the win is one sentence a day.
If you’re in a momentum season, maybe you go for longer stretches.
Your season—your capacity—gets to set the pace.
3. Trust that seasons shift.
No season—no matter how slow or how bustling—lasts forever.
Your writing life will change with you.
There Is No Behind. Only Becoming.
If no one has told you this lately, you’re doing just fine.
Your current writing season, whatever it looks like, is part of your story. It’s shaping you, it’s teaching you, and it’s giving you exactly what you need for what comes next.
If you want more gentle, mom-friendly mindset shifts to help you feel grounded in your creativity (no matter your season), grab my free survival guide, Authors with Crayons. It’s full of low-pressure prompts and supportive insights for moms who write, even in the busiest seasons.