Hello! I am back, after what I realized was my first extended blog break in five years. Five years! My how the time flies. I haven’t been idle this past month as I have been hard at work finishing Wonderbar #3, but it still feels a bit strange to be getting back to the blog game.
To that end, I thought I’d tackle one of the most dangerous moments for any writer: The long break.
I’ve known writers who hit their stride, were interrupted for one reason or another, and then days turned into weeks turned into months and they were never able to get back in the saddle. All that work was squandered. Breaks = kryptonite achilles heel termite ridden ankle breaking weakening things. Don’t let long breaks destroy you!
So. Once you break your writing rhythm, how do you get it back?
Here’s how I do it:
Know that your first day back will not be productive
You must know that your first day back after a long absence will not be as productive as a normal day. This is okay. Knowing is the first stage of not panicking and not getting down on yourself. Don’t set page goals, don’t be hard on yourself. Just focus on getting your rhythm back. That’s all you need to accomplish.
Don’t head straight for the novel
Instead of going right back to my novel and feeling the crushing weight of the blinking cursor, I start off by writing something, anything other than fiction. E-mails, blog posts, forum posts, you name it. Chances are you have stuff that has piled up, and it’s easier to write an e-mail than figuring out what is going to happen next in your novel.
Don’t procrastinate endlessly, but get the words flowing for an easier reentry. Then it’s time to…
Badger yourself into opening up your novel and getting started again even if it feels like you are peeling off your own skin.
It can feel so incredibly intimidating to start again. You might not remember where you left off. You had gotten used to filling your time with episodes of Downton Abbey.
Writing is hard. Getting back into writing is really, really hard.
Do whatever you have to do to get that file open. Cursing and threats of bodily harm against yourself are perfectly acceptable. So are rewards. Just get the dang file or notepad open.
Start somewhere easy
When you do crack open the old novel, start somewhere that will get things flowing and keep your confidence high. Know a scene you want to write but aren’t there yet in the plot? Write it anyway. Need to do some revising to get back into the rhythm? Awesome, start there.
Writing a novel is full of tasks large and small, everything from figuring out the whole freaking plot to making sure the chapters are numbered properly. Tackling one of those smaller tasks still gets you closer to the finish line, and sometimes they can help you get back in rhythm.
Don’t get down on yourself
Remember, the first day back is just about getting back into it. It’s not going to be your best day. It might not be fun. But you did it. You’re back in the saddle, which is why it’s so crucially important to…
Follow up with a good day of writing
You slogged your way back into writing. Don’t waste it! Chase it as quickly as possible with a good, solid, uninterrupted, productive chunk of time. Now you’ll have momentum. So keep it up!
Also: Shouting, “I’m back, baby!!” is strongly encouraged.
What about you? What’s your favorite technique for getting back in the writing groove?
Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!
For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel and my guide to publishing a book.
And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!
Art: “A Love Story” by E. Phillips Fox
This post came at the perfect time. I've just sat down and am short several handfuls of hair from trying to "get back into it". My writing-return methods are similar to Robin Reul up above–I like to read through the entire novel, just to remind myself what I've written, why I love it, who I've missed in my novel, and to put me back into the right world before I try to expand it.
I also like to read snippets from a favorite novel to get my imagination spinning again and thrust my brain into the love of writing/reading/words/etc.
Great advise. And to me, its timing is just perfect. I retufned last night to my text after six months. It's not easy. But this advice came in with encouragement. Thanks!
It's pretty much like you said. I just sit down, me and my blank screen and start writing. What I start with might be crap and might have to be revamped later, but at least it's a starting point.
When writing a long piece, I go back and re-read what I wrote the previous day, to get myself back into the grove of that piece before I start on today's writing. Might slow me down a little, but at least I feel like the style and quality is consistent.
Welcome back, Nathan! Did you finish Wonderbar 3? Your tips are great and timely for me since I've been on a book-writing break for a couple of months now. Drinking wine also helps to loosen up the flow of prose those first couple of days back 🙂
Meghan-
Yep, done with the first draft of #3!
You forgot the whiskey.
I find the more I drink, the better I write.
Also, the more I drink, the better I sing, the better I dance, the better I look, and the smarter I am.
It's miraculous, really.
Just stopping by to say, "Thanks! I needed that."
Didn't know I missed your sage-ness 'til you showed up again.
My issue isn't the break, it's worse: getting started after several false starts through the year.
So, in the "good times" department, I stopped work on my novel on October 18th. I didn't return to it until the end of January, but I FINALLY finished a first draft shortly thereafter.
The thing is, I stopped working on it because problems in my personal life became absolutely overwhelming.
They remain overwhelming.
But at a certain point, I realized that I was looking at having both a permanently unfinished novel AND a personal life that's a mess. It seemed to me it would be better to have a completed novel and a personal life that's a mess.
So I got back to work on it.
Here's the upside – when you're looking down the gaping maw of what might be a truly gut wrenching future, opening up the file of a novel just no longer ranks too high on the things that suck scale.
Perspective.
And again on a silver lining point, revision is going really well. Luckily for me, it's a dark story, and God knows I've got a lot of fuel for the fire these days. At least I can do something productive with it.
Hope everything gets better, anon.
Thanks, Nathan…glad you're back to blogging. We writers need you!
I relate to the writing dark things comment… I let my inner demons get some excercise and wear off some energy that way…
I may be the only one like this, but I find long times away from writing to be like any other time of writing. I just sit down and write.
The only time I was really affected by this was while writing my first novel, which still needs divine intervention to make it readable but thats another story (no pun intended).
I definitely needed this advice six months ago. Unfortunately, I was one of those who jumped back in and was frustrated b/c my word count was terrible. I couldn't believe how much my writing had changed.
I also changed the way I work, b/c my old way didn't work out any more. It was tough and slow going, but it's good to be back.
Welcome back!
Dawn
I heart Downton Abbey!
I do all the same things when I've had a long break. I do tend to start with writing a long email! Then I have a long painful conversation with myself that I really should open the dang file. Then eventually I do, but don't really look at it for a time. Then I tiptoe around a few scenes to see if they need revision. Then I try not to stop working for a large chunk of time (say, 20 minutes, which seems like forever!)
I'll say, it's painful to get back into it!
I really needed this post as I've been out of the writing game for over a year. I really want to get back into writing but I feel stuck. Thanks for posting this
Often I put he said she said first, when the dialogue needs to be first. So that is something easy to check for to get back into the grove. 🙂
Thank you so very much for this article. It's been extremely helpful to me.
With these guidelines I should be able to gain the confidence I need to get
back to, and complete, and submit my w-i-p. Thank you.
Perfect!
Cool, just what I needed. Right now I'm on the stage of 'peeling my skin off'. My remedy was found at https://www.ninjaessays.com/writers/. Feels like they have a glue to frame my writing skills back! Try out, maybe it will work for you too!
thank you! your posts are always so right-on and inspiring – bravo!