How Do You Bounce Back From Time Away?
Last Tuesday I outlined my plan to exercise my writing muscles back into shape. Now, I haven’t written much in a few months so I’m feeling like I’m doing some heavy lifting without warming up. And apparently I’m not the only one feeling like this at the moment.
One of my good friends, a playwright, just asked Facebook (the All Knowing) about how to get back into the writing saddle.
There was some straight up, common sense advice:
Just do it and see what sticks.
Don’t put any pressure on it, sit there until something comes.
Write fast.
Blow something up.
Copy someone else’s first line and then finish the story yourself.
I shared Chuck Wendig’s “A Smattering Of Stupid Writer Tricks” with her.
But I want to know what you do. Have you ever taken a long break and then tried to get back into the swing of things? How’d you do it?
back in the saddle Chuck Wendig Exercises Questions tips and tricks Writing Problems
jenny maloney View All →
Jenny writes dark fiction that her mother hates. Her stories and essays have appeared in Across the Margin, Pantheon, Shimmer, Black Denim Lit, Skive, and others. When she’s not writing her own stuff, she’s reading mysteries for Criminal Element. When she’s not writing fiction or reviews, she’s writing/directing/performing/designing plays at Springs Ensemble Theatre.
Other Worlds, and This 
Sometimes it helps to start small, like with poetry or a short story. Also, I agree with the whole 'just do it.' Which I should go do right now 🙂
I totally agree with NO PRESSURE. You can work yourself up into a pressure spiral and feel so guilty you just can't find where to start so taking it easy and not having strict goals can help. ❤
I like the “no pressure” idea. I often go back to doing morning pages to get the icky stuff out–which I REALLY need to do. And if the project I picked isn't working, I switch to a different one. I'm fickle that way.
A “pressure spiral” — I like that a lot. That's exactly what it feels like.
Yes. Yes you should. 😉
The icky stuff does need to come out somewhere…preferably where you won't get fired.