The Wall of the Finish Line (and the Art of Stepping Away)

Let me be—well, probably not the first to tell you, but I'm still definitely going to be the one to tell you today—there is a specific kind of tired that seems to hit especially hard when staring down the final chapter of a project.

Logically, the end is right there. The threads are lined up, the climax is mapped out, and all that is left is to steer the narrative home. But the brain decides that today's the day the engine runs completely dry. Zero battery. And putting words to a page essentially feels like lifting wet concrete.

The instinct as a writer is usually to panic or force it. I know, because I've done it before. We tell ourselves that because the goalpost is in sight, stopping now is a failure of discipline. But I'm here to remind myself and tell all of you—there is a massive difference between resistance and genuine depletion. Pushing through writer’s block can sometimes break a stalemate; pushing through total creative exhaustion just guarantees you’ll spend double the time editing out the strain later.

The craft isn't just about output; it's about knowing when the creative reservoir is empty.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do for your climax is step away, shut the laptop, and sleep before the sun even fully sets. Your story will still be waiting tomorrow. And it will be a lot easier to stick the landing with a functioning nervous system.

So dear readers, that's my Ted Talk for the night! 💐

How do you handle hitting the wall right at the finish line? Do you force the words, have you learned to walk away, or have you found something entirely unique to you that works?

Side note: Even if I do wake up at 2 am after getting to sleep too early...well, at least I've given my brain the seven hours of quiet it’s begging for first 🤗

Ps. I've been asked as of late by a few readers (and peers!) why—now that I'm getting back in the habit of using my blog more regularly—I haven't changed the "Quote of the Month" since 2024. It's because the quote that's on there is one that speaks to me so wholly considering where I've been at with my complicated writing process and abilities, and it's a quote I've been constantly needing to see. Sure, I could print it off and stick it somewhere, but for now...it's right where it needs to be, and will stay until I'm ready to see it go 🌷