Top Ten Reasons Not to Write: Doris Richardson

Recently in my writers group, The Write Circle, we got to chatting about all the excuses we make to not write. So, in George's infinite wisdom, he made that the assignment for the following week. When we returned the next week, for the first time, everyone had done the assignment! Granted, I did mine as I was sitting there because I didn't have time during the week. I mean, I have a baby and a house to clean and Christmas shopping to do...oh, wait, those sound like excuses.

Anyway, I told the group if they sent me their top ten, I'd post them once a week on my blog. Doris was the first to respond. Doris always shows us all up. She writes more than anyone I know and that's between the millions of other things she does that would easily give her an excuse to set the writing aside. So Doris has become our inspiration. If Doris can write despite all the other things she does, surely we can get a few words down on paper.

So I leave you with Doris's thoughts on her top ten reason not to write.

Ten Reasons Why I Can’t Write

By Doris Richardson

1. I don’t have time.

      I’m working almost every day and housework and spiritual responsibilities plus a lot of other things.  My plate is full enough. After all, I am supposed to be retired.

2. I don’t have the ability.

      I write because I enjoy it and feel compelled to do it, not because I’m a great writer.

3. I haven’t done anything worthy of writing about.

      What I’ve done has been for the Lord, not for people to pat me on the back.

4. I’m lazy.

      I require five or six hours of sleep a night.  Can’t navigate as well on less.

( Ed. Note: Five or six? That's a nap for me!)

5. I don’t always feel like it.

      I discipline myself to do what I should, not what I feel like.

6. I don’t know what to write.

      That is occasionally true of an assignment, especially if it is abstract in nature and requires more imagination that I possess.

7. Nobody will read it anyway.

    Yes, there is great satisfaction in writing but why write if no one is going to take the time or have the interest to read it?

8. There are too many interferences.

      I start writing and the phone rings or my husband starts talking to me or I have to do this or that.  So my best concentration is after midnight when I’m suppose to be sleeping.      

9. I have arthritis in my hand.

      Yeah, but it is under control and my hand works just fine.

10. People will take what I say and misconstrue it to mean something contrary to what I intend.

            There are ten reasons why I can’t write.  But why am I looking at all these negatives?  “I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13), so away with all the reasons.  I can and will write.

Thanks, Doris, for being an inspiration to all of us. 

If any of you writer-type would like to set a spot on the Top Ten. Please contact me.