Losing Motivation to Write
But not planning to give up
Excitement vs. insecurity. That is what I wrote a while ago, reflecting on my first week on Medium. Today, however, the excitement seems to have disappeared due to a lack of motivation and time.
A passion rediscovered
At the end of last month, I started writing on Medium, full of enthusiasm. After all, I enjoyed writing back in high school and even considered a career as a journalist. I chose a different path, however. After studying business and economics, I ended up in finance.
I truly enjoy my job. It offers a lot of challenges and it suits me very well. My passion for writing is still there though. That is why I was so happy I found this platform. Writing about life and personal experiences after work and on weekends seemed perfect. I could even see myself making some extra money out of it. In reality, it is much more complicated.
Balancing work and life
First of all, the combination of work, family, friends, and writing is harder than expected. It is getting busier at work, typical for this and the coming months. I often lack the energy to start writing after work, especially on days I have to go to the supermarket or cook dinner after hours.
Additionally, the weekends are fully booked. Two weeks ago, I went on a three-day trip with friends. Last weekend, we had a birthday party and a festival. I just do not get to write anymore. It is at these times I experience that a week is just too short as an adult.
Writing challenges
Secondly, the writing itself is tougher than expected. It is not a lack of ideas but rather elaborating them. I do not want to write about the same content as many others on this platform. Moreover, writing in correct English is more challenging for a non-native speaker than I thought.
Additionally, it seems that how-to articles attract the most readers, while I want to write mostly about personal experiences. It helps to talk about my struggles and to have an outlet. I hope that fellow sufferers find some comfort when reading my stories.
Complicated earnings process
Lastly, earning some revenue with a blog is not so evident in my country. I did not start writing on Medium to get rich. I just enjoy writing about life and its challenges. I admit, however, that I hope to generate some earnings with it. It is quite complicated to get there though. From what I read, it seems that I would have to get a self-employed status, which also comes at a cost. That tempers my enthusiasm a bit.
I wonder how people with the same challenges deal with this. If you are reading this and recognize the struggles, feel free to comment on this story about your approach. I am not planning to quit, so tips are very welcome.
