What Kind of Summer Writer are You?
Hi everyone,
First! Apologies that this space has been quieter than usual for a bit. The past month has been busy hosting writing retreats, both in person and virtually (amazing writers with amazing projects!), trying to get writing done (frustrating!) and coping with the transition to not having regular childcare for 2.5 months (a quote from yesterday: “Maisie, are you stapling your scrambled eggs right now?” so…bewildering).
3 Approaches to Summer Writing
People who are trying to write during the summer generally fall into three camps—and so need three different strategies to accomplish your goals. Let’s use the metaphor of camping.
Camp one: The Glampers
Your philosophy: Summer only comes once a year, and is made to be enjoyed. It’s a time to rest, refresh, and show up ready for the fall.
Your approach to writing: There have been some ideas swirling in the back of your head all year, and now that you have time to breathe, it might be worth exploring them. Also, there are so many books to read!
Your strategy: Let your brain do it’s thing! I suggest morning pages, where you can write for 30 minutes before you do anything else, and let ideas flow. Consider buying a pretty notebook, and also opening a note on your phone as ideas occur to you. Check out some books, and spend some time reading by the lake. Find some fun podcasts in your area, and listen to what they have to say as you walk along the beach. Try your hand at creative writing or poetry. If you can be bothered, update your Trello board. Stay connected to your writer brain, but do it leisurely.
Camp Two: Weekend Warriors
Your philosophy: Summer is all about balance: you have few projects you want to get serious work done on, but you’re also going to rebuild your car’s transmission or paint your shutters, apply for grants, sleep, and exercise every day. You know, the dream.
Your approach to writing: Functionalist. It needs to happen, but so does everything else. You’ll get it done, even when you’re on the run.
Your strategy: Backwards design + a detailed to-do list. Figure out when you want things done by, and then use that to determine the number of hours a day you need to work on things. Every week, plug those into your calendar - some weeks, that might mean a weekend working session, other weeks that might mean waking up before the kids do and getting it done so that you’ve accomplished something. A solid plan, and baby steps.
Camp Three: Backcountry Adventurers
Your philosophy: What good is two months of time away from school if you don’t use it to go all in?
Your approach to writing: No email, no service work, it’s just you and this book—all summer long.
Your strategy: This is great! Spend the summer writing a book. Prevent yourself from burning out by staggering your obligations. Working iteratively can help with that, as can ensuring that you take walks, do yoga, or play basketball every day. Make a to-do list of small things you can do when you feel like you can’t write another word - citation checking, doing a new literature scan, making tables can all help. When you’re working, stop before you’re out of ideas, make yourself a list of bread crumbs, and then go for a walk. Your brain will keep writing while you’re walking, and you’ll come back ready to keep going (it’s supported by science!)
Final thoughts
Regardless of the kind of summer writer you might be, you should have two underlying goals: to stay connected with your writing and your project, and to feel like you’ve set yourself up for success come fall. Figure out how you want that to look, come up with a strategy for achieving it, and leave some time for adventure.