I had so many things I was going to write about this week (my thoughts/concern about Elizabeth Gilbert pulling her book and what it means for fiction, a top tip for brainstorming ideas, a solstice ritual) and then, the week got away from me. You see, I am doing 1000 words of summer (a short sprint, writing 1000 words a day for two weeks). So, currently, as I settle into it, any spare time between mentoring sessions with clients, other writing work, hanging out with family, walking the dog, attending school football games etc, is taken up with reaching that goal. Seems that the grace I gave myself worked and allowed me to relax, eventually, into writing again.
I am really enjoying the 1000 words sprint. If you don’t know about it, check it out here. I am moving words out of me and onto the page and transforming a stagnancy that I have been feeling as I query my other book (querying can be a slow process that can make you feel slightly stuck in time). What has also helped is having a small check in group on Whatsapp with some writer friends. Knowing we are all in this together, all encouraging one another, giving each other and ourselves support and grace, really helps. Already there have been days when I might not have got the words down if it wasn’t for that extra accountability and we only started on Saturday.
Having the goal is really helpful when navigating a busy day. I am constantly finding what I need to give up in order to get the words in. It’s interesting to see what things become easy to let go of.
So far this week, I have been writing a scene set in the 1990s, 1996 to be exact and am having the time of my life remembering old songs from the day (do I still know all the words to Gangsta’s Paradise and Return of the Mack?). It helps too that I am delving into old boxes of photos from the time and remembering the outfits and the hairstyles (how a curtain haircut on a boy could make me swoon and Sun-In ruined all our hair) and thinking about the way we used to speak (everything was wicked!) Needless to say, my creative brain is a little bit tapped, in a beautiful way and it feels good.
Are you doing 1000 words of summer? Do these challenges work for you, or do they feel too pressured? I have known people for whom the external accountability works and others who immediately want to rebel against it or use it as a tool to beat themselves up when writing feels hard. I am intrigued by all the different tricks that work for us as writers and it is key to find the things that best work for you. I’d love to know what yours are.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE!
You can support me and my writing by:
Sharing Write As You Are with someone else who might enjoy it/find it helpful
Liking and commenting (the interaction means a lot and is so fun)
Checking out my mentoring offerings
Recommendations 💜
Things I have enjoyed recently…
A Case Against Killing Your Darlings: Thanks to
for sharing this article. I loved it! I have often pondered this advice and I love this counter argument.The Ethics of Writing Hard Things in Family Memoir: Another discussion that I find endlessly fascinating, even as a fiction writer. This piece was anintriguing deep dive into the subject.
Mentoring ✨
This week I received this as part of a message from a long-standing client:
“You've been the greatest encouragement towards doing something that has shown me parts of myself I didn't know existed. Thank you!”
It made me so happy, because this is so much of what writing and putting our writing into the world is all about. I have witnessed this particular client grow, expand and evolve as a writer in the time we have been working together, in ways that make me practically bubble over in delight. My clients help me become more courageous as a writer as I witness their courage, dedication and tenacity. I am grateful.
I have a couple of openings for new clients as we move into July and I’d love to hear from you!
"I am constantly finding what I need to give up in order to get the words in. It’s interesting to see what things become easy to let go of." This is a hard relate for me!
I am finding, even a few days in, now that I am faced with the choice, there are a few things that come second to my writing. I don't think I could have admitted that without 1000 Words of Summer 🧡
The timing didn't work out for me this year with 1000 words of summer (I am intentionally taking a break) but I did it last year and it really freed me up from thinking too much about every word. I just needed to write the words regardless of how good they were, I could fix them in post (and I have). I find the 1,000 words one quite handy because it feels more manageable then doing NaNo in November which has broken me more times than I can count now!