After a summer of non-writing distractions, a constant stream of activities and time spent with my busy children, I now find myself at the beginning of a new school year faced with a quiet house and empty hours just ripe for writing. Perfect, I thought, for getting back into the swing of my routine that I abandoned. As I sat down to write this week, my expectation was to pick up right where I had left off, transitioning easily back into daily writing and seeing progress. Sadly, I can’t seem to hit my stride.
Before the previous school year ended, I had a groove for my writing time, a particular routine and schedule. I was a creature of habit. Starting at six a.m., as soon as I woke the kids for school, I would settle down at the end of the kitchen table with my cup of coffee, dressed in my pink flannel robe, and it worked perfectly for me.
Every morning was predictable. I had a zone. My creativity flowed smoothly, and for hours. I thought slipping back into my old habit would be simple, like riding a bike again, just sit down and start pedaling, or writing, and you’re off! But, unfortunately, not so much.
Part of the problem, I admit, is my distraction with social media. Not surfing it, but rather, learning how to use its potential for marketing. My research and seemingly endless discovery of details have my head spinning, preoccupying it with the mechanics of the self-publishing journey, stopping my creative flow.
And then there is my everyday life, managing the many moving pieces of my family, doing my best to maintain an organized house, running continuously from any one of the kid’s various games and practices to another, helping them with homework, volunteering, and you get the picture. I had, before the summer, learned how to prioritize most of my tasks and focus on my writing routine. It had worked, and I was happily productive. I am still happy, but much less productive at the moment.
As I sit here and pour my thoughts into this post, I realize that maybe the actual issue is, as the children make a fresh start at school, I need to make a fresh start with my writing pattern. I will always be a morning writer, I work best in the early hours, but maybe this is a sign that it’s time to create a new ritual and give myself a different perspective. I need to jump start my writing.
It’s time to dust off that manuscript that has been waiting for me and get started.
What routine or environment helps you to stay on your writing path?