Tuesday 23 April 2019

Starting again


It’s been a while since I wrote a non-IWSG post on here, and although I love being part of the monthly festivities, it’d be good to be a bit more regular again. Even two posts a month would be good. So with that in mind, I thought I’d start off with a post that’ll be a bit of a pep talk for myself, and hopefully it benefits others too. 

As I mentioned before, I’ve been out of the writing game for about four months, since losing a full-time job and then looking to find other work. Well, I’m glad to report I have several ongoing gigs now and don’t have any shortage of work at the moment. That’s a blessing that I don’t take for granted. But still, I seem to struggle to get round to doing any writing. Why should this be? The passion to do it is still there; it just seems easier to reach for another editing job and make a handful of real money.

I suppose there is a lot to be said for having a routine in place. We hear about it all the time, so it’s a bit of a cliché, but it trains us to do the same thing at pretty much the same time each day. Once that’s been gone for a while, it becomes less than easy to just snap back into the rhythm of it. And there’s the overwhelming feeling of lost time which is clouding my vision.

But maybe that’s just an excuse. Just because I’ve not written anything for a while, it doesn’t mean I can’t write again. The hardest part of anything is getting started, at least for me, and that includes starting a new book as well as resuming work again after a bit of a hiatus. I mentioned this in my last post, I think, but I need to look at this as a fresh start, with a fresh perspective. Forget about any lost time and just do what I can do each day.

So today, that’s what I’m going to do, and I’ll report back on my progress.

What are you like with getting back into writing again after a break (intentional or otherwise)? Got any tips?

8 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Nick - so pleased the jobs are back for you ... and it's great you feel inspired to give yourself a new start with writing blog posts here ... all the best and see you around - cheers Hilary

DRC said...

Ugh...I'm right there with you about trying to get back into the swing of writing. Luckily for you, it's only been four months. Mine feels like years. Writing is like a habit, and if you write the same time everyday, it becomes part of a routine. Even losing a day or two isn't so bad because everything is still fresh in your mind. But when you take a long hiatus, that habit is broken and it isn't easy to get back into. I'm struggling to get back into mine still but I think I'm winning :) Advise? just stick with it.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Glad you're not struggling with income now. I'm in much the same place with writing though. I fell out of the habit and it's been difficult getting back into it.

Darla M Sands said...

I suffered a long dry spell many years ago after a fateful and regretted 'mentorship'. What a joke. All you can do is dive in. I'm thrilled to report a daily enrichment of fresh writing and/or edits for at least two hours. Best wishes!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I've lost a lot of time being a publisher but we can both dive back in again if we just make the time.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Sounds like things are looking up. YOU have to get back to writing more. You do it well.

Teresa

Liz A. said...

Good luck. Like starting anything new for the first time, restarting something is a process. If you figure out how to get writing again, I'd love to hear it. I haven't touched my writing in way too long.

Jemi Fraser said...

Hope you find that new routine - it an be SO HARD to get back into a routine (struggling with that myself). I think starting fresh each day is a great idea - hope it works out well for you. And so glad you've found other work too!