Because you won’t always have time to write.
Over the past seven days, I sure as hell didn’t. It was the end of the quarter, I had a group project and a 15-page paper. I had manuscripts to edit, a prepaid trip to take, and a shitload of other stuff to do. The manuscript just wasn’t happening. Writing had been temporarily inconvenient. Having worked with a number of writers and being a writer myself, I know that too much time away from your book is detrimental.
And we know our point. We know we’re coming up on letting it fall to the wayside. Either you’re coming back to it or you’re not. If you really want to finish your book, but writing isn’t exactly convenient at the moment, then here are some ways that you can stay connected to the work until you’re able to begin writing on it again.
A digital journal…
is one way that I make sure that I come back sooner than later. Don’t get me wrong. I will never go without the pen, but when time and energy is short, I always have my phone. I don’t have to get out of bed or turn on the light to add to my digital journal. If you can, find one that limits your word count per entry.
An added benefit of those journals is that it’s free practice of trimming fat. Your writing should be as clear and concise as possible. When you’re trying to cram your day into 280 (or 750) words, then you find words or sentences that don’t matter. Trimming is a major element of the rewriting process. Your digital journal will give you free practice of this every day.
Another plus that just came to mind is the overview. Once I’ve submitted my entry for the night, I’m taken back to the dashboard where I can see yesterday’s entry and a random entry. Reading those are so inspiring. I get to read about that time I was stressing over my book release party, whether my shipment would make it on time or not, reading my first review from the person I didn’t know, preparing for my first speaking engagement, etc. I’ve evolved a lot in the past two years, which is how long I’ve been using my digital journal, and it’s necessary to see that growth.
Daydreaming…
Daydreaming? Yes, daydreaming means everything to the writing process as a whole, but especially during these inconvenient times. It’s almost like a meditation, if you will, with your book being your mantra. Like a movie or audio book, I let it play out in my mind. I listen to my character’s conversations and watch them go about their daily lives. This helps to keep the story fresh by keeping you connected to it. It aids in character development, completed plots, proactively avoiding writer’s block, and vivid storylines.
You have to give the daydream your undivided attention though. At least ten minutes is ideal, but whatever you can slide in will do. My favorite time to daydream was either while riding in the car or when I just woke up but haven’t rolled out of bed yet.
Reading…
These two tasks were originally posted in the NaNoWriMo with Soul group. I asked members what would they add to the list, and one that that came up was “reading.” This is such a part of my everyday reality that I didn’t even think to include it. However, reading is major. In fact, most writer legends note that being a writer requires daily reading and writing. There you have it. Plus, I also notice that when I’m reading–whatever I may reading–I almost always find something that relates back to my character or the book. Just a small dose of inspiration that I need to make my book better.
Part of being a writer is being able to flow. Yes, your rhythm should flow, but equal to that, you have to be flexible in your give. When writing is inconvenient, then you have to find a way around that while still holding to the goal. Don’t allow happenings to become excuses. These are my three. Try them out and see how they work for you.
I would love to hear your tactics as well.