A Return to Writing: Five Mistakes to Avoid

  

By Candyce Carden

When I retired from teaching in 2018, I eagerly turned my attention to writing full time. I had written on and off for more than twenty years, but this would be the first time I could devote myself to it without another job competing for my attention.

I made plenty of mistakes. As the industry had changed drastically since I last wrote for publication, I punted more than once before finally reaching the end zone.

Five Mistakes to Avoid

1. Failure to Protect Writing Time

 

Because I never established regular writing hours, family and friends didn’t respect my new venture. The people who’d never dream of stopping by my classroom unexpectedly had no qualms about dropping in on me at home. The interruptions were my own doing; I hadn’t set expectations.

 

I didn’t think it mattered. I had all kinds of time now that I wasn’t working, right?

 

How wrong I was. When I’m in the flow and stop writing for a moment, I lose much more time than what I spend sharing a cup of tea. I have to reboot, review my work, and find the magical rhythm of productive writing once again.

 

 2. A Neat Desk Does Not a Writer Make

 

My writing space doubled as the main entrance to our home. Before returning to writing, my desk held a single flower in a vase and my MacBook, matching the room’s minimalist style. Each evening, I packed away my books, notes, pens, and markers in neat silver bins.

This practice killed productivity. Imagine my reluctance to disturb the neatness when I had only an hour to write. It was not worth the effort when I also had to find my place among multiple writing projects. I learned to embrace being a creative and living with the clutter.

 

3. I Thought I Would Easily Make Money

 

Twenty years ago, I frequently sold to print magazines and assumed I would do so again. After all, I had credits.

It’s a different world out there today, and the competition is fierce. Online marketplaces have created a global pool of freelancers willing to work for low rates. Print media is shrinking, and more writing is handled in-house rather than by freelancers.

 

4. I Thought I Knew More Than I Did

 

The learning curve was steep. I had to take a crash course in digital publishing to learn the art of querying and what editors are looking for in the hundreds of letters that cross their desks. They don’t give a rip what I wrote 20 years ago. They’re only interested in what I can deliver today.

Fortunately, excellent resources are available. I attended writing conferences, joined Word Weavers International, listened to webinars and podcasts, and relied on the Christian Writer’s Market Guide and Writers Market to find places to pitch my work.

 

5. I Put Platform Before Writing

 

While the World Wide Web helped me return to writing, it also became a downfall that first year. I heard much about the importance of building a platform, of garnering readers and followers through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and blogging. I put more effort into platform building than into writing.

I enjoyed connecting with other writers online, but I spent too much time checking blog statistics, following discussion groups, and chasing one promised resource after another.

The bottom line is you can’t market a blank page.

 

Punt, and Punt Again

 

Seven years later, I’m still freelancing. Along the way, I’ve published devotions, short Bible studies, and Christian living articles. I contracted my first book in April 2025 and am inching toward a release date.

 

Don’t give up, no matter how many times you have to punt. Each stalled drive teaches something that helps you move the ball further the next time.

 

 Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Candyce Carden is a writer, educator, and nature lover whose teaching experience ranges from preschool to college. She’s written for a variety of magazines, devotionals, and compilations. Currently fine-tuning a devotional with a beach setting, Candyce and her husband divide time between north Georgia and Destin, Florida. The answer may not be at the beach, but should we not at least check?