Recently a student of mine reached out to say that he was thinking of putting his novel aside. He read an essay by Charlotte Wood on writing as a subconscious act on Lit Hub and became certain that his own novel lacked an Invisible River , an engine. Noting that while his work is beautiful and has potential, there is no driving through line, and that he had lost his way.

I pondered his email for some time as these doubts are something that plague me as well. Yet what I shared with my student, is that every writer loses their way. It is next to impossible to write a book and not take a wrong turn or fall into a hole or doubt yourself until you feel like you’re sick with the flu. When you write a book you are making something out of nothing. It’s really next to impossible, if you think about it.

All this to say that the past few months have been thick with anxiety. I think many, many writers would agree that they are not at their best creatively. And there is nothing wrong with this. Nothing at all. But that does not mean that your story has no force or that you should pull the plug on your project. It only means that your book’s greater purpose eludes you right now.

Charlotte Wood has shared her experience with her own story—but that doesn’t mean that her experience is belongs to anyone else but her.

The pulse that keeps your story alive is deep within you. Be patient, be kind. Better days are ahead.