This time of year in Alaska ushers in an era of mud puddles, soggy trails, and snow potholes. The first year we lived there, all this came as a surprise. The roads were plowed in the winter, but not to the asphalt, so a thick crust of packed snow and ice covered most streets. At breakup (spring), as the days lengthen and temperatures rise, the thick, packed snow melts unevenly, creating potholes and a bumpy, mushy drive to work.
A small car (and yes, we had a small car) can scrape the underbelly of the carriage many times from work to home as the snow slowly thaws and the way is once again clear.
We’ve been talking about writing after a break, which often aligns with the winter months. Spring may be the perfect time to begin again.
If you’ve taken a break, no matter how long of one, you might feel like you’re slogging through the mud without the rubberized footwear Alaskans call “break up boots.” It’s okay to struggle at first. It’s all part of the process.
The Fresh Start Mindset
Sometimes, a break from writing can clear away the mental clutter, and you can turn that clarity into a fresh start on a new project or a fresh perspective on an existing project. This may be the perfect time to evaluate what’s come before, what’s working, and what isn’t because the break gave you the distance you needed.
You might be surprised by a sudden epiphany, and think, “Oh, of course that’s the way it should work.” You might realize that the draft you thought was awful is not bad, and the things that need changing can seem less dramatic than they did before. You might feel the pull of a new project. All of this is fine.
Open yourself to these epiphanies and realizations, and try not to judge them. Take them out of the mental box and consider the possibilities. Maybe get a new perspective.
A recent conversation helped me to realize that the new WIP (work in progress) needed a different protagonist, which makes the now rewrite a bit of a challenge, but if it hadn’t been for the conversation, how long would it have taken me to realize I had the wrong guy? Imagine spending months on a novel before figuring that out?
The fresh perspective and openness to change made it possible to fix this now without too much effort. What can a new perspective show you? Can you review your own work and notice things now, or is it best to get an outside opinion?
Accept Imperfection
Imperfection is the rule, not the exception.
None of us are perfect; sorry if that’s breaking news. Trying to be perfect is like expecting not to fall when you learn to ride a bike. Of course you’re going to fall. That’s how you learn balance. Also, expecting imperfection frees you from the inner perfectionist. And we all have one.
You know that Stephen King tossed out his draft of Carrie and his wife pulled it out of the garbage and sent it out? Look where he is now. Of course, I can't guarantee any of us will reach his level, the point is that even someone like Stephen King has doubts. (Dear Professor).
At any rate, the writing is a first draft, not a polished novel, so it will go through editing. No need for perfection.
Create a Writing Ritual
Beginning again is finding your writing rhythm again. We spoke last time about writing for 2 minutes a day (longer if you want/can, but don’t put expectations on yourself). The value in such a small amount of time is that it moves us past the “I don’t have time” excuse, and it helps establish a habit.
We can grow that habit later, adding more time for instance, but for now, we’re tying our writing time to some other habit we’re already doing, like getting a cup of coffee or brushing our teeth.
My Monday sprint group is exceptionally consistent, so over the past year, whenever I open Discord, where we meet, my brain makes the connection that it is writing time. The same is true for my Saturday sprints with another group over FaceTime and a third group that meets over Zoom. Entering the digital space becomes that ritual. First, we open the app, and then we open our word processor, and after we spend a few minutes greeting each other, we’re off to the writing world in our minds.
Those small things act as cues for our brain that it’s time to start writing. Brainstorm little habits or behaviors that can become triggers for writing time. While the ubiquitous lighting a candle works, scent has some great benefits for memory that you might want to use in your writing, it’s also flammable. You may not want your habit tied to something that you can’t take with you wherever you are. Here are some examples of cues that you can use:
A cup of tea, coffee, or other beverage. You can take it in a to-go cup if you’re writing outside the house, or it can be tied to a coffee shop where you’re a regular writer. It’s an equal opportunity cue that says, “I should be writing.”
Chewing gum. This comes from my life as a college professor. Scent triggers memory. If I smell cigarette smoke, it reminds me of my mom. For students, one study hack is to chew a certain flavor of gum every time you study for that class. Then, on test day, chew the same gum, which should aid in memory retrieval. We can do this as writers by chewing a certain flavor every time we write. Eventually, the flavor and scent will cue our brain that it’s time to get creative.
A playlist. I have a playlist for each of my books that I listen to in the car to keep my WIP front and center in my mind, but I don’t listen to this playlist when I write. It stirs too many other connections and clogs my mind rather than free it to write. Instead, I listen to very loud rock n roll, stuff where I don’t get captured by the lyrics. Other writers use classical. What you listen to doesn’t matter so much as tying a certain song or playlist to writing.
Some writers think you don’t need ritual, and in fact, that you should be able to write anywhere, anytime, without a prop. While I do believe we can write anywhere, and I love writing in coffee shops and libraries, I also know that most of the time, I’m writing at home. I need to get myself in the right headspace because home is where I also have laundry and house cleaning and family interruptions. A ritual here helps my brain get in the right gear. “This is writing time,” is the message.
Freewrite
Freewriting allows us to break up the ice of our frozen imaginations. Freewriting allows your brain to make connections that you might not otherwise see. Freewriting prevents the pressure of starting a new novel, story, essay, or poem. Freewriting is a safe space to turn the expectations down and the creativity up.
Keep in mind that the road may be bumpy and full of potholes. The underbelly of the writer’s ego may scrape a few times as you get started, but the disconnect between you and the page will thaw, and the way will clear. Trust the process.
Track Habits
I’m not saying you won’t be honest, but I am saying if you have no means to track the habits you’re building, you have no way of knowing if they’re working. Time blindness is a thing, and you might think you’re getting back into the zone, only to look back and realize it’s been days or weeks since you wrote last.
I’m a big fan of whatever is easiest for you. You could literally just put a gold star on your calendar every day that you write. Stickers are interesting as a prize. Because we gave kids, or were given as kids, stickers for good behavior, we have an almost instant positive association with them. That’s the dopamine hit you need.
Other options: habit tracker apps, a sprint log, a spreadsheet, a to-do list. Checking things off a to-do list is another way to get a dopamine hit. I have to admit that the spreadsheet would have a negative connotation to me because I really don’t like Excel (shhh, don’t tell anyone). Use something easy, that you will use, and that has good connotations for you. If you have some habit tracker tips I’ve forgotten to include, let me know in the comments.
Homework
Your homework is to continue writing a two-minute sprint at least once a day. Tie it to another habit, and if you forget, set a timer for a specific time until it becomes habitual. Repeat daily until you don’t have to think about it.
Freewriting Prompts
Freewriting rules: don’t judge, don’t worry about grammar, don’t stop. Write for a set amount of time; 15-20 minutes works for of these. Keep the writing flowing even if you have to write “I do not know what to write” until your brain gives you something new. Trust the process. If your writing goes sideways from the prompt, trust it and follow unless you’re tempted to write a grocery list.
Describe something in your current environment. Close your eyes and focus on the details around you. What do you see, hear, smell, and feel?
Describe your favorite memory or dream in vivid detail. Describe it as clearly as you can, paying attention to the sensory details.
Describe a character that you’ve never written about. What do they look like, what quirks or habits do they have, what is their background, and what motivates them?
If you can’t shut the inner editor up, invite them to the conversation. Write a dialogue between you and the voice in your head that doubts your writing ability. What does it say? How do you respond? This might release some of the tension keeping you from writing.
Make it a great writing week!
Cindy Skaggs is a writer, book coach, public speaker, and military veteran who holds an MFA from Pacific Lutheran University and an MA in Creative Writing from Regis University. She is an advocate for military and veteran issues, a mom to two humans, and an avid traveler. In 2022, she moved to Ireland to study Irish Literature. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
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I'm a big fan of freewriting! My favorite trick to find a thesis statement for any essay.
Great tips and Alaskan visuals. I love when I get an insider's view of Alaska and it adds to my writing reminders.
I'll borrow the gum tip. I think it'll work well for me. Thanks