There are times, I think most authors would admit, when writing hurts. Every word is a struggle, we put off sitting down to write and just generally avoid everything to do with it. Sometimes it’s because our minds are focused on other things, and sometimes it’s an inexplicable apathy that can be hard to get away from.

Still, even though writing isn’t all lovely and fun, I do think there are benefits to be had from writing no matter what. Even if your mind is all over the place and you’re finding it hard to focus, it is still worth making the effort to write, if only for a short time.

Why? One of the main reasons is that, sadly, we don’t always have the perfect conditions for writing. In fact, if we waited for the perfect conditions – plenty of time, ideal environment, plenty of ideas – hardly any writing would ever get done, by anyone, at all. A lot of it is about sitting down no matter what and pushing the words onto the page, no matter how much of a headache it can be from time to time. We just have to do it.

As well as the practical reasons of getting stuff done, writing when you’re really not in the mood can also be good for reasons of an experimental nature. As writers, we’re always after authenticity and different, interesting ways of looking at things. Channelling your emotions into your work can be a good way of achieving this, as well as giving you an outlet for whatever is going on at the time. For instance, if you’re put off writing because you’re stressed and frustrated at work, finding half an hour to sit down and write with the influence of those feelings could lead to some very interesting, worthwhile work.

Simply put, you never know what might come about when you sit down to write. Maybe what you produce won’t be that great, but most first drafts aren’t great, no matter how we’re feeling when we write them. Better that they get written in the first place even if it’s something of a struggle.

Besides, you might find yourself looking at things in a way you hadn’t considered before; you might end up with the best piece of writing you’ve ever done. Write through the pain – it could be worth it.

What do you think?