The living might be easy, but the writing . . . not so much. Perhaps because I am a writer of horror and mystery, I prefer a melancholy atmosphere—dreary weather and short, dark days—for holing up with my laptop to create twisty stories. When the pools open, the barbeques belch smoke and the drinks don their umbrellas, the temptation to join in the sun-drenched revelry is often too much to withstand. Vacations are essential to mental health, familial relationships and even creative rejuvenation, but how does one heed the warning of looming deadlines over the siren call of summer? Mix in the popular anthems of three children released from school for three whole months—“Mom, can I have another snack?” and “Mom, we’re out of toilet paper” being two of their favorites—and the idea of carving out silence and solitude for writing becomes downright comical.
I’m posting this on the last full day of school for my three daughters. In late July, I return to my MFA program for a ten-day residency of workshops, readings and critiques. Between now and then, I must somehow make space to generate at least enough words to fulfill my degree requirements, hopefully more. The content I produce may be a bit more uplifting than my typical ghost stories and thrillers since I’ll undoubtedly need to sneak in work poolside between watching my girls’ swim lessons, but some variety is good. One of the first RMFW events I attended almost five years ago was a workshop with Jeffery Deaver. As you might guess from his output, he is a firm believer in outlining, and sited one reason for this that stuck with me. If I work from an outline, I can jump to the macabre scenes whenever it suits my mood. Conversely, if I’m not feeling particularly haunted, I might skip to a lighter section. I admit to being more of a plantser by nature, but the reality of my stage of life might push me toward plotting more often, at least during certain seasons.
Here are a few other techniques I plan to try, in hopes of combatting summer slump:
- Check in regularly with writer friends to stay inspired and motivated
- Attend readings and special events whenever possible
- Read a lot, across genres, including craft books
- Visit sites for research purposes (some of which are only accessible during warmer months)
- Include my family in writing-related activities
- Continue submitting to short fiction calls for momentum
Do you have seasons of higher and lower output? What tips might you offer other writers to stay on task, particularly when under deadline? Please share in the comments!
Finally, and you all can be my witnesses, I’m promising not to berate myself too much if (when) things do not go according to my best-laid plans. I may be a writer, but I’m also a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, hiker, singer, the list goes on, and these roles not only inform and strengthen my art, but sustain me as a person of worth, as each of us is, regardless of productivity. So go sail a boat, drink sun tea, do whatever warms your skin and soul, and come find me at the Colorado Gold Conference in September so we can swap adventure stories, both lived and imagined.
Yes, my most productive months are also January and February, when I have no temptations to leave the house! Regularly scheduled phone/Zoom calls with writing friends help give me “accountability deadlines,” where I know if I don’t produce something, I’ll feel silly reporting “no progress” for that week/month.