As writers, we know that ideas come and go, and are never predictable. Whenever a good idea comes along, we have to latch onto it so it doesn’t escape us! However, sometimes, even after a lot of time and hard work, we may need to make the decision to walk away from a writing idea. The real question is: how do we decide if we need to walk away?

Why People Don’t Want to Walk Away

When we’ve spent hours upon hours working on a project or a writing idea, it can be hard to walk away from it, even if we know it’s the right thing to do.

Here are some excuses we may be using to justify continuing a project that’s run its course:

I’ve been working on it a long time

When you have a lot of time invested in any project, writing related or not, it's easy to feel as if it was time wasted if you decide to walk away. It’s important to know that any time spent on writing is never wasted time. In every moment spent writing, you are improving your skills and learning new techniques.

I’ve already written so much

Awesome! Now you have material you can either repurpose, or rewrite for another idea! When working on a writing idea, we always have the option of pulling from our previous projects. If you’re letting this hold you back from moving on, don’t worry! This writing is not wasted material: we can always come back to it or use it for writing ideas in the future.

I love it but I can’t figure out how to make it a priority

We can enjoy something and sometimes do it, but not make it a priority. If you have too much on your plate, you can take a break from whatever isn’t the most important. For example, I have a new puppy, so she is my main priority right now, and writing has to come second.

If I don’t have time to write for a day, or a week, I don’t beat myself up about it. I know I can always go back to my writing. It’s okay if you can’t make something a priority. When it’s something we love, we can make small amounts of time for it with the realization that we need to focus on our most important tasks first.

Won’t I be a “failure” if I switch topics?

There is a lot of fear of failure as a writer. We have to worry about people criticizing our writing, rejecting our submissions, or our work just falling flat. Fear of failure doesn’t have to keep us from moving on to bigger and better ideas. Switching topics just means you have enough self-awareness to know when a project isn’t working out any more.

I’m not a “real writer” if I can’t finish an idea

If you write, you’re a real writer. Don’t let anyone else define that for you, and don’t let your perceived failures dictate it either. Real writers write. If you decide halfway through a project that your idea isn’t as good as you once thought, or you just don’t have the same passion for it as before, it’s better for you and your readers to walk away from that idea.

How to Know When it’s Better to Walk Away

The hard part of all of this is how to know when it’s time to walk away. Sometimes it may be an obvious decision, other times not so much. It’s important to remember that we don’t have to walk away from an idea forever. We can always go back to an idea later, or reuse some or all of what we’ve already written.

Here are 3 ways to know when we need to walk away or take a break:

You’re no longer interested in or passionate about your idea
If you’ve lost interest in an idea, or lost your passion for it, it may be time to walk away. It might still be a great idea, but maybe it would be better suited to someone else. If we no longer feel the same passion we did when we started, it’s going to be hard to finish the project. It will also show in our writing if we are trying to force interest in our ideas just to finish them.
The idea is not serving you/helping you grow & get better
Writing is a lot of work and usually takes a lot of time. If an idea isn’t doing anything for you, or helping you grow in some way, it may be time to walk away. It’s important that our writing has a purpose, whether that’s to better ourselves, or to help better others. It’s important to keep sight of our “why.”
Once a writing idea loses its usefulness, it’s hard to justify continuing work on it. People pick up a book or read an article with the idea that they are going to get something out of it. Make sure to keep that in mind. Whatever we’re trying to convey in our writing reflects our vision and communicates our message.
The idea feels like work
If you’re no longer having fun with a writing idea, it may be time to walk away. If it feels like work, it’s going to be that much harder for us to finish because all we’ll be able to think about is how much we’d rather be doing something else. Take a break or find a new idea that brings you joy.

Next Steps

There are many different reasons we may have for walking away from a writing idea, and some may be more pressing than others. In any case, it’s important to remember, whether you see it through or walk away, you are or can still be, an accomplished writer! Don’t let self-doubt and fear hold you back from new ideas, or from walking away from an unfinished project.

Review what you have. Take a look at what you have for your writing idea so far. Do you still have passion for or interest in the idea? Does it have a purpose or goal? Is it still enjoyable?
Decide whether it’s worth continuing the idea. If you said “no” to any of the above questions, then it may be time to walk away or take a break.
Get help working on your idea or starting a new one. Sometimes all we need is another set of eyes to help us decide whether it’s time to walk away from an idea. Click here to read more about working with Rachel & Holly.

My challenge to you is to have the courage to walk away from a writing idea that isn’t benefiting you.

Do you think you need to reevaluate a writing idea? Have you had to walk away from a project? If so, what helped you make the decision to walk away? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find us on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.

How to Know When to Walk Away from a Writing Idea