I just received our son’s school supply list yesterday. I can’t believe it! In just a few weeks, we’ll be back to morning drop-offs, school lunches, and the fine art of juggling sport practices and homework. It feels like we should have much more summer left than we do. How did that happen?
For me, summer is usually a time to take a break from writing (blog posts aside, of course). I usually stay up late every night; the days flowing from one to the next with summer camps, beach days and lots of time lounging in the hammock. This summer’s been a bit different with a few covid scares that kept us home, finishing my third book much later than expected and helping a friend with his writing projects. With so much writing and forced time at home, I feel like I’ve missed a few weeks of summer. Here’s my plan for the next month:
Pause
I’m going to take a break from writing for the next few weeks so I can re-charge my battery. I’ve got a couple of writing projects on deck once the school year begins, and my brain needs a break before I begin. I love being a writer, but sometimes looking for the right word or figuring out the next plot point can be a drain. So instead of staring at my screen for the rest of the summer, I’m going to feed my imagination by reading, watching a few good shows and spending some time on my paddle board. I’ll take some field trips, finish some crossword puzzles (in pen – I’m a dare devil like that) and generally slow life down for a few weeks. But never fear, I’ve already got my blog posts lined up and ready to post.
Percolate
Even when I am not writing, I spend a good deal of time mulling over plots, characters or interesting story points. This is something I really enjoy about my writing process, so I’m giving myself full reign to percolate for the next few weeks. I love people watching, seeing how strangers interact or how people move on a sidewalk. I enjoy coming up with scenarios for conflict or resolutions to problems, constructing dialogue or figuring out how to add or remove tension in situations. I might not be physically writing, but I’m always on the creative clock, storing things away for future use. Like a squirrel, but without the rabies or fluffy tail.
Appreciate
As anyone who has spent any time on social media knows, it’s far too easy to swept up in what everyone else is doing/achieving which in turn can make you look at yourself/accomplishments in an unrealistic light. That’s just downright unhelpful. So I plan on being mindful over these next few weeks of where I am and what I have accomplished. Other people’s achievements do not take anything from ourselves. But looking at countless displays of curated, filtered and edited posts of everyone living their best life isn’t healthy for anyone. I’ll still be posting to promote my books, but I’ll be spending more time focusing on what’s happening in real life and less time online. You’ve probably noticed already that most of my social media posts center around being an author or my books. I prefer to keep my private life reserved for my friends and family. So if you want to see the amazing grilled cheese I’m eating or my family at the beach, you will just have to join me in person.
Tune in next week for a big announcement.
Happy Summer!🏖