Hello!
The very quick version of this email:
π Most writers find it tough to get going again after a break
β‘ There are practical things you can do to boost your writing energy
π Join my mini writing challenge that starts next week (7th-13th)
The full newsletter:
Chances are, you've had a break from your usual writing routine over the summer.
Maybe that's because you've been on holiday (I hope you had a fantastic time!), you've been busy with family, or you've just been enjoying relaxing. Perhaps your break from writing was planned or maybe you just slipped into it because it felt right for you.
You might also have had some curve balls come your way. Perhaps you (or a family member) became unwell. Maybe you were unusually busy with work, or you were moving house, or something else disrupted your writing.
Whether you've had a deliberate break, an unplanned one, or a break because something unexpected and unwanted happened ... it can be tough to get back into the swing of writing.
I've been talking to a few writers in Writers' Cafe who are just restarting on their projects after a month or two off, for a whole range of reasons. And we all agree that the "getting started" hurdle is often what feels hardest.
If you've been away from your story for a while, you might feel any (or even all) of these:
- Disconnected from your characters, world, and plot.
- Daunted by the effort needed to restart on your project.
- Worried about being "behind" with your writing.
- Eager to get back into your normal routines.
- Guilty or disappointed about how your summer went.
- Optimistic for the next few months.
- Inspired by new ideas or places you visited over the summer.
However you're feeling right now, it's absolutely okay (and also very normal). Lots of other writers who're reading this will be feeling the same way as you.
If you're feeling a bit daunted or stuck as you begin getting back to writing, I wanted to share some ideas to help you get re-energised:
#1: β‘ Take Yourself on a Writing Date
Get away from your kitchen table / sofa / desk and head somewhere else to write. My favourite places for this are coffee shops and libraries. Having time set aside (and maybe a favourite beverage) is a great way to enjoy your writing as something special, not just another task on the to-do list.
#2: β‘ Re-Read What You'd Written
If you're partway through a project (whether it's a short story, novel, or something else entirely), just coming back to it can feel like a massive task. A great route back in is to simply enjoy reading what you've already written. There'll be parts that need work, sure ... but there'll hopefully be bits in there that you really like.
#3: β‘ Join a Writing Challenge with Other Writers
September has a "back to school" energy for many of us, and so I thought it was a great month for a mini challenge. π Next week, from Monday 7th until Sunday 13th, you can join me in writing 15 minutes of fiction each day. The details and sign up link are below.
(If you don't want to join a virtual challenge, how about asking a writing friend to do something similar, where you check in with each other daily for a week and share progress?)
β¨ Fifteen Minutes of Fiction Challenge (FREE!) β¨
Fifteen Minutes of Fiction runs Mon 7th β Sun 13th September. Your goal is simple: to spend 15 minutes each day working on a piece of fiction. That might be outlining a short story, drafting a chapter of your novel, or whatever makes most sense for you.
π Click here to sign up & I'll send more details later this week.
Happy writing,
Ali
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