Stop Saying “I Should, But…”—Here’s How Writers Can Actually Move Forward

There are three things I’ve been truly terrible at in life:

• Knitting

• Throwing pottery (on a wheel, not at people)

• Painting

Sure, there are probably a dozen other hobbies I’ve attempted and flopped at, but these three stand out because the results were completely disastrous.

When my daughter took up knitting in middle school, I thought it looked like a productive, peaceful way to spend time—especially as a newly divorced single parent. She taught me the basics, and I gave it a go.

Bad. Ugly. Sigh.

I turned to YouTube, believing the knitting gods (little g) could help me figure it out. I have multiple college and post-grad degrees. I follow directions well!

As it turns out, graduate degrees don’t help you knit.

The lopsided scarf I attempted lived on the bottom shelf of a living room side table for five years—until I finally admitted defeat and tossed it.

Painting? My “masterpiece” from a sip-and-paint party was unrecognizable. Pottery? My romantic pottery-wheel date ended in a very un-Hollywood mess.

Hard truth: there are going to be things we just aren’t good at.

But here’s where it gets real for us as writers.

I hear writers say things like:

“I’m so bad at ________, I’ll probably never sell any books.”

Every time I hear this, I cringe.

Think about it. It’s tax season. What if your accountant looked up from your paperwork and said, “I’m really bad at math”?

Would you trust them with your taxes?

Or what if you got in an Uber and the driver said, “I’m terrible with directions—we’ll just drive around till we find your place”?
Hard pass, right?

But somehow, we excuse this kind of thinking in our writing lives.

Here are actual statements I’ve heard from writers—just in the past week:

• “I don’t know when to use a comma.”

• “I hate marketing, so I’m just not going to promote my book.”

• “Social media is too overwhelming.”

• “I know I need an email list, but I don’t have one.”

• “I haven’t figured out websites yet.”

• “I should pitch podcasts, but I don’t know how.”

These usually come after: “I know I should, but…”

Oof.
And I get it. I’ve said the same thing myself this week!

“I know I should get my Pinterest strategy up and running, but…”
Cue the excuses. The justifications. The distractions.

One of the hardest parts of being an author is managing all the moving parts—writing, platform-building, marketing—without dropping the ball.

Most of us feel unqualified or overwhelmed at some point. But growth requires action. So let’s talk strategy.

Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

1. Be Honest About What’s Holding You Back

It’s tempting to blame outside factors when things don’t go the way we hoped.
But something shifts when we say:

• “I don’t know how, and that’s why I haven’t started.”

• “I’m afraid of annoying people on social media.”

That honesty is powerful. It’s not weakness—it’s awareness. Get to the root of what’s stopping you.

2. Dig Down to the Root

This is where your inner therapist voice kicks in.
Ask: What’s really holding me back?

• Is it fear of judgment?

• Lack of time?

• Imposter syndrome?

• Not knowing where to begin?

Surface excuses often hide deeper issues. Uncover them.

3. Choose ONE Thing

Creatives are idea machines. But too many ideas can keep you stuck in start-up mode.
Try this:

• Make a list of what’s overwhelming you.

• Circle one thing you can focus on this week.

Personally, I use a whiteboard with three columns:

• Big Ideas

• Monthly Goals

• Weekly Focus

It helps me stay on track without losing momentum.

4. Create a System That Works for YOU

I used to write college papers last-minute with no outline. (Spoiler: they were terrible, even if the grades said otherwise.)

Eventually, I realized that planning leads to better results.
Now? I live by systems:

• Writing routines

• Social media batching

• Content calendars

• Email workflows
  
  And guess what? I taught myself to love systems. You can too.

5. Ask for Help

Why is this so hard for us?

You don’t have to figure everything out alone.

• Ask a fellow writer how they manage social media.

• DM someone whose email list you admire.

• Watch a free YouTube tutorial.

(Yes, there’s probably a video for that.)

Asking for help doesn’t make you weak—it makes you wise.

Photo by Matheus Frade on Unsplash

Today’s the Day to Shift Your Mindset

Stop saying, “I should, but…”
Start saying, “I will, with help if I need it.”

And hey, if you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and actually move forward in your writing life, I’d love to help.

👉 Book a FREE clarity call with me here:
https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/JLSoAZesYk5zLh913GZ3

Let’s get you unstuck and into momentum.