It’s summer! Yes, we may have vacations with family, but what about our summer writing? Many of us look forward to the longer days and more relaxed pace of the summer, but if we don’t approach our summer writing with a plan, we may not take full advantage of it.
You Gotta Have a Goal (or Goals)
What do you want to accomplish through your summer writing? My goals have shifted over the years. This summer I have two: the first is to outline the fourth novel in the Flight of the Raven series. (Spoiler alert: I have no ideas about the book yet!) My second goal is to focus on short fiction, likely through crafted writing prompts, like my 2018 short story challenge.
So whether it’s completing a first draft, editing a manuscript, or starting a new project, having clear, achievable goals beforehand to keep you focused and motivated.
A Schedule Helps
Folks who know me know I get up at a crazy early hour to exercise and walk the dogs. And when I’m writing, that’s my next task—writing—following my shower and breakfast. This schedule works well for me as it keeps me focused. And with potentially fewer distractions and more hours of daylight, summer is ideal for establishing a consistent writing routine. Determine the best times of day for your summer writing sessions and stick to them as much as possible. I also suggest scheduling in the time to write in your calendar the same way you would with medical appointments.
Use the Outdoors or Travel Time
Summer’s warm weather and brilliant landscapes can really inspire you. If you’re feeling stuck, take a walk and think through your book. You might ask yourself, how would my main character handle this walk? Would they be distracted by the cars or animal sounds? I’ve often used walks with my dogs to review a sticky point in a novel or short story, and have found myself walking a dog far further than they wanted to go!
In 2019, I used a speech to text app on my phone to develop the general outline for the third Stephanie Hart novel. That two and a half hours in a car traveling from Philly to Southern Maryland got me through the outline block and set me up for success with the book. Always keep your phone or a notebook ready to take notes. Hey, you’ve got to do something on those long vacation drives. You can also take your writing on the road, placing your story in a novel location—pun intended.
Try Something New
This is what I tend to focus on during summer. Whether it’s writing outside of my normal genres of science fiction and mystery, or focusing on flash fiction versus novels, summer is experimentation time. Grammarly goes so far as to suggest that instead of writing a short story or poem, and that writers might consider writing a restaurant review or two instead. While I’ve never heard of writing restaurant reviews as a way of refreshing my writing, I think I’ll try it to support my copywriting business.
And what about building a whole new cast of characters for your work? Summer is a great time for world building, developing new characters, or exploring settings that can help your existing characters shine.
Catch Up On Your Reading
We’re often told as writers that we should read more. And summer is a great time to make that happen. And just as writing outside your usual genres can be helpful, the same can be said for reading something you normally wouldn’t read. Tackling something you seldom read may raise your eyebrows, but it also demonstrates that genre’s strengths. As a writer who uses lots of dialogue, I use summer to read outstanding narrative. This reminds me of what I need to work on, and of the beauty of flowing narrative.
Summer can be transformative for writers. Take advantage of summer to hone your craft—yet still enjoy the wonder of the season. You may be surprised at the impact a well-planned and balanced summer writing program can be for your writing.
