Relearning to Write
It happens every time.
It seems like every time I endeavor to write a new story, I have to relearn the process all over again.
Not every little detail, of course. I remember the beats, the arc, and the character motivations.
What I need to relearn is how to sit down and do it.
And the way I do that with each book is wildly different. Last year I gave a run-down on finding time to write (or for other things) in various seasons of life, which gives a pretty accurate picture of the variety of ways I’ve managed to tell stories throughout the years.
This last year has made the challenge nearly unmanageable, and my personal life is pretty fine! There have been no familial deaths or births or moves. Things are good. So why has writing been so difficult?
Here is where you tell me what I tell every other one of my friends who finds themselves constantly brought lower by the state of the world: Of course you’re having a hard time! Everything is metaphorically on fire (and if it’s not, it will be soon because in my part of the world we’ve had the lowest snowfall on record this winter).
How do we get anything done in the midst of this?
This is what I’m doing:
Logged off of Instagram. I can’t handle the unexpected release of certain depraved files. I need to control my news intake right now.
Listen to a playlist instead of an audio book. I love audio books and podcasts, but music I’ve curated for the book I’m writing is a much better avenue for letting my thoughts wander through the story.
Put “write” on my to-do list every day. To-do lists don’t work for everyone, but they certainly work for me.
Allow myself to get other things done first, before writing. A few years ago, I would have never accepted this method. Now, though, it lets me get some tasks out of my brain, emptying it and readying it for the writing ahead.
None of this is new. These ideas have been tried, tested, and written about by many before me, but the point here is that I have to figure it out for myself every single time.
Every time I have a new idea that I’m ready to draft, I’m in a different phase of life. There are new horrors to battle with my anxiety. I’m older, which means I’m both wiser and also adapting to physical changes I’ve never had to deal with before.
If you add all of that to the fact that last year I had to reckon with the state of the publishing industry and what it means for the future of my work, well, no wonder I was struggling. No wonder I sit down and spend my writing time debating if I can do it, instead of actually doing it.
The good news is, I’m learning. Again.
I’ve written 16,468 words in a new genre1 that I’m not sure I have any business writing in, but I’m enjoying it. It’s stretching my creative muscles and reminding me why I love writing to begin with: It’s exhilarating, like a dip in a cold, freshwater lake. For me, it’s also vital to life. Akin to taking full, deep breaths at the end of the day.
How are you handling life, the news, and your creative pursuits these days?
May you find ways to thrive.
Love, Heidi
It’s adult dystopian romance, but think more cozy and heartwarming than anxiety-inducing.
Every bit of this relatable! Every time I start illustrating a book I feel like I'm re-learning the process. I also love that you've learned those shifts that support your writing practice - and getting rid of some of those pesky "supposed to's" and embracing YOUR way. It's so key!
Yes! Learning to write and then relearning. Something I said so many times this weekend at my writing conference is that as writers we are in the business of learning (at every phase). I am with you about the state of the publishing industry these days, which is a big reason why I decided to surpass such drama and go for it! And I'm finding so much power in that decision already.