#102: Silent Rebellion: Write Better by Doing Less

Read Time: 4 Minutes

This week's newsletter is going to be a little different. No tactics, no marketing strategies, no algorithm updates. Just something I believe is equally important to your success as an author—and as a human being.

But first, a story to put some context around what I'm going to talk about...

I make time for journaling almost every day. Could be morning, could be afternoon, could be just before I fall asleep at night.

This is my time to think (sometimes, yes, I'm prone to overthinking), but this time is sacred and helps me see much more clearly about what I'm doing with my life.

Let me be clear—I'm not perfect by any means. I don't have some 3-hour morning routine that starts at 4:30am. I don't eat avocado toast for breakfast, or have my whole day time-blocked out to the minute.

For a start, my wife and I have 3 kids under the age of 5.

But five years ago, even 12-18 months ago, I would've often felt this journaling and "thinking" time was nothing more than time wasted.

Today, I recognize it as my most valuable asset.

Taking an hour off from working, even a whole weekend off, doesn't mean your entire author business is going to implode. 

That's the beauty of being an author; when you have your systems in place, your books are out there working for you even when you're not working yourself. 

The Productivity Paradox

We live in a publishing ecosystem that, rightly or wrongly, is built to keep you perpetually engaged:

• Write faster
• Publish more often
• Master every ad platform
• Stay ahead of algorithm changes
• Network and learn constantly

The modern author is sold the illusion that constant movement equals progress. That a calendar without a book launch or promotion planned in is a failure of ambition.

But ask yourself this: Is all this frantic activity actually moving you toward your definition of success?

The Four Burners Theory

Have you heard of the Four Burners Theory?

I'm not entirely sure who it was coined by, but I first heard about it through author, James Clear; here's how he explained it:

Imagine your life as a stove with four burners:

→ One burner represents your family

→ One represents your friends

→ The third is your health

→ The fourth is your work

Your author business is just one burner of life.

Yes, there will be seasons in your life where one burner is stronger than the others, and that's ok. But we still need to keep all four burners going.

When was the last time you turned up the heat on something other than your author business?

The Invisible Cost of Being "Always On"

When you're constantly:

→ Checking sales dashboards

→ Responding to reader messages

→ Analyzing newsletter metrics

→ Optimizing ad campaigns

→ Networking in Facebook groups

You're left with zero bandwidth for what actually matters: deep thinking about your craft, your stories, and the unique value you bring to readers.

As well as, of course, the other important areas of your life such as family, friends, health, hobbies and interests, etc.

Redefining Author Success

Word counts and launch tactics aren't the be all and end all of being a successful author.

Here's my version of a successful author (you might agree or completely disagree with me here and that's ok, as "success" is subjective)

→ Create sacred spaces for creativity to flourish

→ Consume content outside of your genre/category to spark fresh connections

→ Spend quality time with family and loved ones

→ Pursue hobbies and interests unrelated to writing

→ Think deeply about human nature and the stories that need telling

→ Allow yourself permission to pause, stop and reflect without guilt

Your Path To Sustainable Creativity

Here are some ideas based on my own experiences and experiments that might just help you:

1. I've implemented theme days: For example, you may reserve Mondays for plotting. Tuesdays for drafting. Wednesdays for marketing. This prevents constant context-switching throughout every day that drains your creative energy

2. I schedule "white space": 30-60 minutes per day I sit down with a cup of tea and a journal and nothing else. No goals. No expectations. Just space for ideas, reflection and clarity

3. I don't use social media: A bit extreme some might say, but in a world of constant noise and very little signal, I find social media to be completely overwhelming and for me personally, more of a distraction than anything else

4. I protect family time religiously: Evenings and weekends are for my family. Weekday afternoons, whilst the kids are at school, are for my wife and I. I've found that being present with my family actually fuels my creativity more than slogging away at my desk forcing myself to do something

5. I make time for non-writing passions: Walking, exercise, gardening, cycling—these activities engage different parts of my brain and often solve problems I couldn't crack while staring at the screen

6. I find the time to go outside: Even in the coldest, darkest months of the year here in the UK, I get outside, breath fresh air, appreciate the sounds and smells of nature. I just can't help but feel better once I do this.

The Silent Rebellion

The publishing industry profits when you're anxious, scattered, and constantly chasing the next fad, tactic or strategy.

Your best work emerges when you're focused, intentional, and thinking clearly.

Your most valuable marketing asset isn't your newsletter size or ad spend—it's the quality of your thinking that shapes the content of your books.

In a world demanding authors to be everywhere and do all the things, choosing strategic silence might be your most powerful move yet.

This week, I encourage you to give yourself permission to disconnect.

And remember, you don't have to sit still for an hour. You may find that walking is a better way for you to think.

Maybe gardening and spending time with your plants is your sacred time when you feel most at peace.

It could be surfing, cycling, horse riding, sailing...

Whatever it is, find the time and permission to disconnect. Even if it's just for 10 minutes. It's something and will help you move forwards with more intention and clarity.

The magic happens in the silence.

And this stillness... it might just birth your next breakthrough, or simply reconnect you with why you started writing in the first place.

That's it for this week.

I hope this has given you some food for thought and relieved at least a little pressure from the guilt you may be feeling when you're not working on your author business.

The rest is the work.

To Your Success
– Matt