Real Talk for Tired Writers
You wait all day for this moment.
The kids are finally in bed. The house is quiet.
You open your laptop, ready to *finally write…*and your brain says, “Nope.”
You scroll a little. You sigh. You feel that familiar guilt creep in: I finally have time. Why can’t I just do it?
Let me say this clearly: You’re not lazy. You’re depleted.
The Real Problem Isn’t Time. It’s Energy.
Most of us think, If I just had more time, I’d write every day.
But when that time finally appears, what’s missing isn’t space on the calendar—it’s capacity in your mind.
After a full day of decision-making—at work, with your kids, running the household—your brain is spent. Creativity requires openness, curiosity, and imagination, all of which are hard to access when you’ve been running on focus and logistics for…as long as you can remember.
That fog that drowns out every creative thought doesn’t mean you’re not a “real writer.” It means you’re human.
Rest Is Creative
Creativity and exhaustion don’t coexist well. You can force yourself to write while drained, but you can’t force inspiration or insight. You can’t force joy.
Sometimes, the most creative thing you can do is rest.
Rest is not laziness—it’s recharging. Rest gives your ideas a chance to simmer and gather strength. If you never pause, you burn through your creative fuel faster than you can refill it.
So instead of asking, “How do I push myself harder?” try asking, “What would help me refill the well?”
A walk. A few deep breaths. A novel. A consistent bedtime. Even just a few minutes of quiet before you sit down to write can make a difference.
Write When You Have Energy—Not Just Time
You don’t have to write at night just because that’s when you technically can.
If your brain is fried by eight o’clock, no wonder writing feels impossible.
Try experimenting with different rhythms:
Morning writing: 10 minutes while the coffee brews or before the kids wake up.
Midday writing: A paragraph on your lunch break.
Voice notes: Capture a sentence or two during your commute or a walk.
The goal isn’t to be disciplined—it’s to be aligned with your natural energy.
Shrink the Creative Ask
When your tank is low, the task of “write for an hour” feels impossible. So make the goal smaller than your resistance.
Try:
“I’ll open the document and reread one paragraph.”
“I’ll write one messy sentence.”
“I’ll jot down three words that describe my character’s mood.”
Once you start, momentum might surprise you. And if it doesn’t? That’s okay. You showed up. You worked the creative muscle. Five minutes a day adds up a lot faster than three hours once in a blue moon.
Plan for Ease, Not Willpower
When you’re exhausted, friction kills creativity. If it’s too hard to get started, more often than not, you just won’t. So make writing as easy as possible to begin.
Leave your notebook on the kitchen counter instead of tucked away in a drawer.
Use a cloud-based app like Notion to access your WIP from any device, anywhere.
Keep your writing playlist queued up so you can get in the right headspace with the push of a button.
Pair writing with something comforting—a blanket, a snack, a cup of tea. (My toddler put on his alligator slippers this morning and said “These are my work shoes.” I think he was on to something.)
The goal is to make writing feel like a treat, not another task demanding energy you don’t have.
Redefine What Counts as Writing
When you’re too tired to put words down, you can still feed your creativity.
Daydream your next scene while folding laundry. Listen to your characters’ voices while you shower. Listen to a writing podcast while washing dishes.
It all counts.
Your subconscious is doing quiet, important work. When the energy returns, those pieces will click into place faster than you expect.
Refill the Well
You can’t pour words from an empty brain, and you can’t be expected to access your creativity from survival mode.
So give yourself permission to rest—and not just rest, but restore.
Try:
Reading for pleasure without guilt.
Taking a walk without a podcast.
Saying no to one unnecessary thing this week.
Doing something small that reminds you who you are outside of obligation.
When you nurture yourself, you’re nurturing your writing life, too.
You’re Not Broken—You’re Tired
You don’t need to boost your motivation or build your willpower or shame yourself for your exhaustion. You just need to make peace with the reality that creativity ebbs and flows.
You’re not broken for needing rest. You’re not a slacker. You’re a human being balancing work, family, and art—and that’s beautiful.
I promise, your stories aren’t going anywhere. Nurture them in whatever way you can, with whatever capacity you can. When your energy returns full force, they’ll be waiting—and they’ll be all the stronger for it.
If this resonated with you, you might love what we’re doing inside The Inkwell—a community of women balancing writing, family, and work with compassion, creativity, and consistency. No mom guilt, no hustle—just real support for real writers.