Summer Distractions
Summer is always a challenging time for writers. Invitations to events – family and professional increase. Nice weather days tempt you to delay your writing or editing and spend time outside. You sit at your desk and keep looking through the window at blue skies and grass that needs mowing. You will need a heavy dose of discipline if you are a gardener. The temptation to go outside and dig in the dirt will be hard to resist.
Continue to make time to write every day
Summer is an ideal time to strike a balance in your writing and recuperate after that long, hard winter. Here are three simple rules to help you write and enjoy this special season while managing those summer distractions. Now if you live in a warm climate area, you may find the summer heat keeps you inside. If so, flip this advice. Follow these tips in the winter, when your days are warm but not oppressively hot.)
Summer, the season of distractions
A new schedule can be a great help. Set deadlines for book launches and research trips. They are more pleasant to take this time of year than in the dead of winter and will aid your writing.
Many authors get up earlier in the summer to write. This gets the writing completed before the day gets hot. You can have a more laid back schedule for the rest of the day knowing you have completed your writing. Whatever time you choose to write, be consistent. Otherwise, it becomes easier each day to put off writing and be seduced by summer distractions. Longer daylight hours give us the illusion of longer days. We have 24 hours, no matter how much daylight we have.
Expect summer distractions
There are more distractions in the summer than in other seasons. For this reason, I have found that I am more productive writing after my clan has gone to bed. There are no phone calls. No breaking news. No mid-day party invitations.
I like to start writing at 10 and write until 2 pm. This allows me to get in my 4 hours of writing time a day. Experiment with various times until you find 4 hours that work well for you.
Make a yearly plan and adjust for lower summer productivity
Plan out your yearly writing projects to accomplish your writing goals. Alter your goals to fit the season. Schedule summer activities and adjust your goals for the season. Expect decreased productivity if you know you will have family commitments. Recover lost time by increasing your writing time during cold months when bad weather can be expected.
Make summer distractions work for you: plan a writers vacation
Don’t be afraid to take a vacation. You might find a complete break from writing will let you to return to your writing desk refreshed and anxious to start writing again. This is also a great approach if you find you are sitting at your desk and not getting anything done. Sometimes a week away from writing can renew your enthusiasm for your writing. Just set a specific time for a break and return when that time is over. (Want to read more about writer vacations? See my 3 part blog posts, “Your Muse Demands a Vacation.”
If you must write every day, choose writing goals before, during and after your vacation.
A final word
Editors’ productivity also drops off during the summer. They and their staff will need stories when they get into their fall buying mode so have your story sitting in their inbox!
Enjoy your summer. And make it a productive one!
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