A blog of a writer I read frequently is that of Dean Wesley Smith. He’s been a professional writer for a long while now, about forty years I believe, and has some good insights to share about being a writer.
One of those is his observation that during the summer months, which he calls the “Time of Great Forgetting,” many writers abandon their writing to do summer things, only to come back to writing in the fall months shocked at what they didn’t accomplish.
I can say that his observation has been accurate in my writing life, but only in the past. I’m no longer plagued with the “Time of Great Forgetting,” as I’ve made my writing so much a part of my life that I’d miss it if I didn’t do it daily. And I do miss it, on those rare occasions that I don’t get to do it on a given day.
Here are some of the ways in which I’ve made writing part of my daily life and tools I’ve used to accomplish that. Some of these I’ve learned from Dean, I’m sure; others came from personal experience and from other writers:
- Try to write at the same time every day.
- Write daily, no matter if you can only squeeze in a little time or a few words – something is always better than nothing. It keeps the writing “muscle” in shape and keeps the stories flowing.
- Set goals for your writing in the form of words per day, per month, and per year. It’s amazing when you look back at your progress, or lack of!
- Keep a log of your written words. This way it’s easy to see where you’ve slipped or where you’ve advanced.
- Always keep learning in regards to writing, on the craft side and on the buisness side, through following writing blogs, reading books on writing, watching instructional videos, listening to podcasts, and taking courses. This will keep your mind focused on writing, especially during those times you might not have a lot to devote to the actual writing.
Dean’s got a great blog for writers, and he offers workshops and video lectures, too: http://www.deanwesleysmith.com
My D.U.M.B.s (Deep Underground Military Bases) series on Amazon (but if you click this link first before you buy anything on Amazon, I will get a small payment for each sale): https://amzn.to/2ngYD2a
Thank you!
