I’m taking a little break from writing ’til the kids go back to school. About a week and a half. That doesn’t seem like a long time, but it will be for me. I get very antsy when I don’t write. The writing process definitely acts as a release valve for me.
Why take a break from it, then you ask?
Well, that’s a good question. Mostly it’s because the kids are home with me all day long, and squeezing in that writing time is a bit more challenging. But it could be done, so I don’t think that’s the complete reason.
In order for my daily writing sessions to really flow, I think I also need a lot of thinking time. My mind likes to be rolling plot points and dialogue around at various times through out the day. This is why I sometimes can’t read other books when I’m writing a first draft. Not because I’m afraid of being influenced, but because then I think about those ideas rather than my own.
With my kids home and getting ready for back to school, my thinking time is mostly on them.
I think realizing that writing takes thinking time as well as BIC is an important realization for me. In the past when life got really busy and my writing time felt pained, I didn’t understand it was because of this missing thinknig time. It really helps get through the difficult writing sessions to know this.
So that’s my tip for all you teachers, getting ready for back to school. I know your schedule is jam-packed, but try to give your writers a little thinking time in addition to their writing time. You might be surprised!