by Lindsey Brackett @LindsBrac

Like many of you, concentration has been difficult lately. So has joy. There are simply times when your creative well runs dry—and that’s not even taking all the extenuating circumstances of this year into account. 

One of the best habits I’ve set for myself during this time has been a daily walk. Sometimes I enjoy the silence. But lots of times I do find a podcast or two that’s just right for this moment. This week I listened to Emily P. Freeman’s 3 Steps to Restart Your Life Giving Rhythms and her simple words spoke volumes. 

Perhaps, it’s possible to make myself re-engage—to find the joy in writing that so often gets buried beneath proposals, sales numbers, and expectations. As an experiment, I tried Emily’s suggestions on a week that was busy with day jobs, emails, and my Christmas novella launch.

Make a Space

I did this back in March when we realized very quickly that my husband, four children, and I could not all work from home in the same space. We set up a desk for me in our unfinished basement and for the next six months, I held Zoom calls with the joke that I was being held hostage—because loose wires and unfinished 2x4s are not the most appealing backdrop. (insert desk picture here)

But this week, I made a decision. The wall next to me was solid and blank, so while it meant I faced the workout bench instead of the outside doors, I turned my desk 90 degrees and hung a picture. Now I’m not scary when posing for those Zoom screenshots—and I genuinely feel better about my space. (insert Zoom picture here)

Make a List

This idea of jotting down everything that is weighing on our minds and souls is an important practice I’ve neglected. The beauty of a list, however, is that I don’t have to make it pretty or grammatically correct. There’s no one to judge my inner thoughts and I can use all the capitals and exclamation points I want without hearing my inner editor. 

It’s freeing and when your mind is emptied, there’s suddenly more room for all the good stuff. Like noticing the shades of leaves on the trees, savoring a steaming cup of coffee, or settling down with a good book. (I’m happy to make a seasonal recommendation.)

Make a Goal 

As someone who struggles with follow-through, I’ve found I need to set small, manageable goals for myself. So rather than beat myself up over not meeting my word count everyday during Nanowrimo, I’m calling it a win if I actually write some words each and every day. Sometimes we need to lower our expectations and accept that all we can do is really all we can do.

By trying out these steps for a restart, I’m making progress on a new project—and actually enjoying the process a little more. No doubt these are steps I have to take almost daily, but they’re worth it in the end. 

How do you reset your writing life? 

Lindsey P. Brackett writes southern fiction infused with her rural Georgia upbringing and Lowcountry roots. Her debut novel, Still Waters, inspired by family summers at Edisto Beach, was named the 2018 Selah Book of the Year. Her second novel, The Bridge Between, is now available. Magnolia Mistletoe, an Edisto Christmas novella, releases November 2020. Recently she launched the podcast, A Rough Draft Life, with novelist Kristi Ann Hunter. Connect with her at lindseypbrackett.com.