Would you be better off writing?

Authors are pulled in a dozen directions. We’re asked to consider branding, social media posts, marketing, connecting with influencers, and more. Frankly, it gets exhausting. 

At those times, I like to consider Scott William Carter’s WIBBOW test: “Would I be better off writing?" When he coined the phrase and its acronym, he meant writing fiction because he is a full-time mystery writer. The quote is applicable to any kind of writing. It can be short or long, for work or for fun. 

Hearing this quote made me think of a related acronym: TEAM, which stands for time, energy, attention, and money. Those are resources authors use on their projects. Each author has different amounts of these resources depending on their lifestyle. For example, many of our authors who are grandparents had less time and energy in the summer because their grandchildren were visiting. 

Kristine Kathryn Rusch notes “The most important commodity you have is time. And the best thing you can do with that time, my writerly friends, is to write.” No matter how much energy, attention, or money you spend on a project, the writing will only occur if you take the time to write. 

So, when judging if things like making marketing materials, travelling to a writing conference, or shopping for the perfect editor, you should always ask yourself if your time would be better spent doing this or writing. If you’re unsure, you are probably better off writing. People can only experience the work you have created. 

There is a caveat to WIBBOW. Sometimes, you are better off prioritizing other things. Family and health are more important than writing. Emergencies are more important than writing.  

It’s okay to let go of the pressure to do more in public. You don’t have to be on a dozen podcasts and have active accounts on every social media platform to be successful. You are reading this because you are a writer. 

Writers write. 

It’s that simple. 

If you would like help managing other aspects of your authorial life so you can return to the things that matter most to you, we can help. We offer customized one-on-one solutions for authors of any ability, skill level, or publishing stage. Check out our offers at this link and see what we can do for you.