A New Chapter

In less than two months I am retiring. All at once I will have an extra thirty-two hours every week to do whatever I want. One of my goals (dreams) is to write more and produce more pages. But will it work out that way? I am hopeful, but also aware of the potential pitfalls I face.

I know, for example, that no matter how much time you have, there never seems to be enough. Tasks and responsibilities always seem to expand to fill whatever time you have. I also know that as you get older, everything seems to take longer, even writing. Your ambition and drive decline. It’s hard to have the same “fire in your blood” that once kept you going. At the same time, the urge to savor life and enjoy it to its fullness becomes more compelling. Knowing that there are fewer moments ahead, you find yourself wanting to experience every one, rather than escaping the present.

And then there is the quirky nature of the creative process. Most writers develop a routine: a setting, time of day, type of technology (laptop, desktop, tablet, Mac, PC) The longer you stick to that routine, the more ingrained it becomes. Changing the place or the time of day or the method to write can seriously disrupt your creative flow.

Finally, there is perspective. When I first started writing it was something I viewed as a treat. For an hour or two, I had the chance to escape into my fictional world and leave behind all my other responsibilities and stressors. I got to write, and that made it something I looked forward to, a genuine pleasure. Then I got my first book contract and took the summer off to write and things changed. Now I was supposed to write. It was a job, a responsibility, and it became much less of a joy. That change in perspective actually caused me to be less productive. When the summer was over and I went back to work, I got back into the groove again.

I’m aware that all these complications could potentially derail my plan to write more. So I have a strategy. I’m going to stick to my routine (I write in the mornings, on a desktop, in my beautiful upstairs office, with my cats nearby and inspiring music to help carry me away.) I am going to view my writing time as a special part of the day that calms me and brings me joy. At the same time, I’m going to make my writing a priority, to remember that I am an author and that’s something to be proud of. That it’s an important part of my identity and something to celebrate.

Many writers aren’t in my circumstances. You may be looking ahead to many more years of having to toil at a day job. But my plan for a happy, productive writing future could still be of use to you. It’s simple: Find a writing routine that works for you and stick to it. Find joy in the creative process and the act of writing. Make it a priority and celebrate your accomplishments. And write on.