When “Productive” Work is Actually Avoidance (and How to Break the Cycle)

If you’ve ever sat down to write your novel only to find yourself suddenly organizing your Google Drive, making another to-do list, putting more books on writing craft in your Amazon shopping cart, or signing up for yet another webinar instead of actually writing…welcome. You’re not alone, and you’re definitely not doing anything wrong.

You’re experiencing something I call productive avoidance.

It feels useful. It looks productive. It brings a little hit of satisfaction, like you’re moving something forward. But deep down, you know what’s really happening; you’re doing everything except the one thing you set out to do: write that novel.

And the worst part? You scold yourself for it later, which only makes it harder to come back to the page next time.

Let’s talk about why this happens, and more importantly, how to break the cycle in a kind, realistic way.

Why Productive Avoidance Feels So…Productive

When I first set out to write a novel, way back in 2021, I armed myself with craft books and a “Can Do” attitude. I also decided to give the writing app Scrivener a try. If you’ve not heard of it, it’s a robust writing management tool that has a steep learning curve. I spent weeks learning the program, patting myself on the back for my tech-savvy skills. At the same time, I was reading craft books, highlighting key passages, and taking diligent notes.

It was work. It was writing-adjacent. It felt valid.

But weeks turned into months, and I still didn’t have the makings of a novel. Every time I approached the blank page to actually start writing the story, I froze. My hands stalled. My brain fogged. And without consciously deciding to, I switched to something safer, something “productive.”

Here’s the truth: productive avoidance is not laziness. It is fear meeting a lack of structure.

When you don’t know the next step, your brain will find any step that feels more manageable.

That might look like:

• rewriting your opening paragraph for the 18th time

• creating color-coded folders for your chapters

• Watching endless craft videos

• fiddling with your notebook organization

These tasks feel good because they reduce anxiety…temporarily. But they don’t get you closer to writing the actual novel living inside you.

Why Writers Freeze

Most writers freeze because of one quiet belief: “I should know how to do this by now.” You’ve read enough books. You’ve taught your students how to write. You’ve journaled your whole life. So when the words don’t come, the discomfort feels personal, like proof you’re not cut out for this.

But here’s what no one tells you: drafting a novel is a teachable process, and most people were never taught it.

Freezing isn’t a character flaw. It’s the moment your brain says, “I don’t know what comes next.” As teachers, we know this about our students, but we forget the same is true for ourselves. Without a clear path, our mind chooses the safer option: productive avoidance.

The First Step to Breaking the Cycle

You don’t break productive avoidance with discipline. You break it with clarity.

You need a next step that is small, concrete, and leads naturally to the next step.

Sound familiar? It’s the same steps we take when we’re planning a lesson for our students. We know we can’t just say, “Write an essay,” and they’ll magically know how. We have to break down the process into bite-sized, manageable steps.  

Here’s a simple place to start.

Name the tiniest possible next action.

Not “just start.” Not “outline my entire story.” Not “fix the plot.”

Instead:

• Write a short paragraph about why you want to write this novel.

• Write the beginning scene of your novel.

• Write a short conversation between your protagonist and another character.

When you give yourself smaller steps, your brain stops scrambling to protect you with avoidance strategies. It starts cooperating.

What Helped Me Break the Cycle

When I finally learned a step-by-step structure for planning a novel, everything changed. I was able to take the 40K words I had already written in fits and starts and develop a plan to write and revise with clarity. Now, I have a 90K word novel I’m proud of and preparing to query.  

I didn’t freeze because I always knew my next move. I didn’t avoid because the steps felt doable. I stopped feeling like every writing session was a guessing game.

When you have structure and tools, your novel becomes less of a mountain and more of a path,  one you can follow even when life is busy, even when you’re tired, even when your confidence is wavering. Writing your novel becomes this joyous activity that you’ll want to get back to as often as you can.

If you’ve been caught in the productive avoidance loop, there is nothing wrong with you. You just need a path. And you deserve one.

One Small Step

Right now, take 30 seconds and answer this: 

What is the next tiny step I can take toward my actual novel, not something around it?

Write it down. Then do just that one thing. Your future writer self will thank you.

Did this blog post resonate?

I’d love to know what your acts of productive avoidance are and then one small step you’re taking to write your novel.