SparkPoint Studio’s Content Editor and award-winning journalist, Kortney Gruenwald is dishing on how you can do your best writing this summer!
Summer is one of the most romantic, whimsical and inspiring seasons for an author. The sunshine seeps into our bones while simultaneously warming up our fingertips, which are more fervent than ever to explore characters and story arcs in refreshing new ways. It’s the season of writing on terraces and patios, with a cold iced latte next to our laptops. It’s the season of spontaneous writing breaks to the seaside. And for many writers, it’s the season of productivity, where we race to finish up projects and shed them to our publishers so we can dream of the next. Summer is the season of an author’s creative renewal.
May is the beginning of it all, and in this month’s issue we want to help our clients and authors around the world have their best writing summer ever. All month long we not only provide our greatest tips for maximum writing inspiration and productivity, we tap into the advice of some of the most talented authors on our bookshelves. Let’s get started with 10 basic steps to having your best writing summer ever:
Finish Old Projects
Having your heart divided between old projects the new somehow always slows down the writing process. Set aside two weeks at the beginning of the summer (or however long you need) and treat it as a disciplinary period to finish your old writing dreams so the new ones have room to grow. You can also use this time to tie up all the loose ends on your to-do lists so you can enter the best writing summer of your career distraction-free.
Refresh Your iPhone With Productivity Apps
Take advantage of the vast variety of productivity apps in the smartphone universe. There are several that simplify writing calendars or give daily prompts to warm up the creative wheels. Narrow your favorites down to two or three and start incorporating them into your routine; if technology can simplify your daily grind so you can focus all energy on writing, go for it. Check out these 4 Apps for Writers from She Writes.
Organize your Computer and Calendar
There are two types of writers in this world: Type A control freaks and those who are too deep in the creative process to realize that the 523 files on their desktop clutter their mind. Take a few hours before summer begins to organize all your files, chapters, notes and tidbits of inspiration. Delete what isn’t relevant to your writing process and refresh your calendar with the deadlines and priorities that matter. Keep your summer engagements light so you truly allow writing to be your #1 priority.
Enliven Your Workspace (Or Try a New One)
A common complaint among creative types is growing bored of daily surroundings. If you have an at-home office, it’s time for an update. Set aside a day to reorganize your space and add a few summer essentials: fresh flowers, inspiring wall art, a cacti garden. A tiny decor update goes a long way in renewing the coziness and comfort of your stomping grounds. If you’re entirely sick of your space, summer is the perfect opportunity to trade in the four walls for a patio or terrace.
Identify Your #1 Summer Writing Goal
Now that you’ve shed old projects and organized your workspace, it’s time to identify exactly what you want to achieve this summer. Avoid creating lofty lists which you won’t have time for. Identify the single most important project for you this summer and be specific. Whether it’s finishing 12 chapters of your novel or completing it entirely, assess what you can do and reach your goal — unconditionally.
Find your Writing Hours (And Stick to Them)
The #1 writer’s rule of productivity: pinpoint the time of day which you’re most creative. Analyze the patterns and timings of when your passion flows. Maybe it’s at dawn after coffee, or perhaps you’re a nocturnal writer who prefers typing into the early AM. If inspiration only hits on certain days, that’s fine too. Save your writing hours for when you enjoy storytelling most.
Treat Yourself to a Writers Retreat
Every writer needs a creative escape, even if they don’t realize it. Lucky for you we’ve identified five tempting global writing retreats that every author can find artistic refuge in. From a seaside escape to Greece to a rustic farmhouse in Tuscany, creative retreats are an incredible way to reflect on your craft and explore the future of your writing. Allow yourself to hit that creative reset button; you deserve it. See our picks for Writers Retreats>>
Read Three New Books in Your Genre
Whether a thrilling page-turner or breezy beach read, every literary experience makes you a better writer. Choose three books from your genre that you’ve been aching to read — but never found the time for — and add them to your tote bag this summer. Read during those “in-between moments” to keep your creative wheels turning and learning.
Rent a Luxury Airbnb For Solo Writing Time
There are some destinations where our writer’s soul is complete and the atmospheric vibes alone lure out the most astounding new ideas. These are the type of places that produce a superfluous amount of wanderlust and imagination, and in turn deliver us our best work. Whether it’s an apartment in Paris with a terrace or a cozy cabin nestled in the mountains of Aspen, discover the place in the world that inspires you most and go there. And Write. And Write. And Write…
Refresh & Renew Daily
A common and destructive habit of us writers is simply forgetting to treat ourselves as the literary queens and kings we are. If you’ve been neglecting to pamper yourself, this summer is the time to shatter that habit. Find a daily ritual that restores your creativity and helps you unwind. Whether it’s a 2-hour beauty ritual every Monday or a hot yoga session in the morning, never sacrifice taking care of yourself. Fact: If you feel your best, you write your best.
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