Growing Routine and Joy
Spring is springing, the birds are singing, and I am getting serious about writing routines. My absolutely favorite time of the week is the morning I have scheduled with my dear friend and fellow writer to do this hard, wonderful thing TOGETHER.
Here’s what that looks like: we sign on to zoom, we catch up, we talk about what we’re struggling with in our writing (there’s always something), and then we simply WRITE. On mute. No cheating. This usually lasts for an hour or so before I need a mental break, but it is the best thing. Sometimes we sign off, sometimes we stay on for longer. And afterward we always send what we worked on as part of our commitment to the work. This accountability and fellowship feels like magic, and it is the cornerstone of my writing routine these days.
I am also working on squeezing in writing time while I am at kid activities, instead of mindlessly scrolling on phone or answering emails. It feels great to be finally getting in a groove.
What am I working on these days? I’m SO glad you asked ;-)
About three months ago I took the plunge and decided to devote some time and intention to a middle grade novel. The story is something I have a strong and deeply personal need to write about, and that fire is fueling my progress in a way that feels important.
It’s also FUN. I was in a bit of a rut with a bunch of unfinished essays that felt somewhat rant-y or more like journal writing. I’m finding, as I go deeper into my work as a writer, my reading and my writing inspiration need to be in some kind of alignment, otherwise both feel too much like work and not enough like joy. The inspiration leaves me before I get into the groove. I stall out in my book or magazine. An idea isn’t enough to propel me through the hard work of writing and editing and putting it out there into the world.
It took me a long time to notice it, but I don’t find I am drawn to reading essays (usually) as much as I am drawn to reading middle grade fiction. I think this is something that was a bit of an AHA! moment for me. Without doing a lot of reading of essays, I’m limited in how much I inspiration fuel I can find to write them.
Conversely, I devour middle grade books. Middle grade writing addresses an age when there is so much HAPPENING, so much discovery and struggle and disappointment and growth and hope. I am loving writing in that world for now, and that what keeps me going.
And of course, there are essays that I continue to work on, ideas that I have waiting in a list as I grow my writing routines. I also have a few essay collections that I am excited to read, starting with Ann Patchett’s “These Precious Days.” More to come there!
Wishing you all a season of growth and joy.
