Writing. Life. We all wind down--or unwind--during the summer.
To stay fresh as writers, we need to plug in and recharge.
It's possible to recharge while you're busy doing other things, just like you recharge your cell phone while you're driving. You can also recharge while you relax, much like a trickle charger for your car battery.
This summer is shaping up to be very busy for me, so these days, my writing battery is getting restored while I'm doing other things, including writing and editing.
Did I mention I decided two months ago to self-publish one of my books? Well, I'm going through all the steps to prepare for that experience. Those of you who've taken the plunge, you know it's a time sump.
Back to ideas for powering up your writing. Let's start with getting a lift while completing writing-related tasks.
Read a book on writing. It can be a very technical, how-to book, like Blake Snyder's Save the Cat, or it can be a inspirational book about writing a la Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird or Stephen King's On Writing. You'll learn something about craft or something about why you write. Won't that put a new spark on your pages?
Attend a writer's group or conference. Being in the presence of other writers renews the soul. The energy of a group of like-minded people can raise your own energy level and get you from the writing blahs to writing again. You'll meet new people, attend workshops that appeal to you, and perhaps, if you're lucky, you'll meet a new lifelong writing friend who will support you on your journey.
Here are some covert ideas for revamping your writing agenda:
Go to a bookstore. Look at the covers. Note what attracts you to the book. Read back cover blurbs. Which ones make you want to read more? Do they have something in common? Seeing all those remarkable books at a real bookstore can be inspiring. Who doesn't visualize your book on the shelf next to those best-sellers? (You could combine this with #4 above.)
The most important thing to remember is that when the summer heat wears you down, you can choose another way, rather than being "too tired" to write. You don't have to feel worn out, lackluster, out of steam. You have options. Fun options that can get you back writing. And isn't writing what makes us all happy?
Do you have a tip that reboots your writing psyche? Have you tried one of the ones listed above? Want to throw out a question for us?
Fae Rowen discovered the romance genre after years as a science fiction freak. Writing futuristics and medieval paranormals, she jokes that she can live anywhere but the present. As a mathematician, she knows life’s a lot more fun when you get to define your world and its rules.
Punished, oh-no, that’s published as a co-author of a math textbook, she yearns to hear personal stories about finding love from those who read her books, rather than the horrors of calculus lessons gone wrong. She is grateful for good friends who remind her to do the practical things in life like grocery shop, show up at the airport for a flight and pay bills.
A “hard” scientist who avoided writing classes like the plague, she now shares her brain with characters who demand that their stories be told. Amazing, gifted critique partners keep her on the straight and narrow. Feedback from readers keeps her fingers on the keyboard.
When she’s not hanging out at Writers in the Storm, you can visit Fae at http://faerowen.com or www.facebook.com/fae.rowen.
Copyright © 2025 Writers In The Storm - All Rights Reserved
I was in need of a recharge...bad. I did a bunch of these, and I feel SO much better! Flying home today from the RWA Conference, and I'm currently reading Lisa Cron's Wired for Story. I highly recommend it! Need convincing? Watch her TED talk. I'm at the Airport and can't post a link, but just Google 'wired for story TED talk', and it'll come up.
Changed the way I look at story! Thanks for the great blog, Fae!
So great seeing you ladies during my little "mini-writing retreat" version of conference! And yes, I got recharged from it. 🙂
Here's the Wired for Story link - under 18 minutes and AWESOME:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74uv0mJS0uM
I have Wired for Story on my Kindle and I didn't finish it. I'll look at this as my inspiration to do so.
Great post, Fae!! When is our first Thursday night?
Thanks for sharing the link, Jenny! Great to have fun at conference with you, too!
Thanks for playing her TED talk on the drive home yesterday, Laura. I'm sold! I had a really good time at the conference with you.
Great reminders, Fae!
I've been using summer schedule to remind myself what it's like to actually slow down. It's been wonderful spending more time with my son and doing things I haven't taken the time to do in ages. 🙂
Yeah, Orly! It's all part of filling the well.
Good for you, Orly!
Good luck on self-publishing!
Nice tips!
Thanks, Angelina. I may end up as a hybrid author, and that would be great, too. But the single title is in the Indie pipeline.
Hybrid author?
That's an author who self-publishes AND writes for a traditional house.
Self published and traditionally published. Have a couple of prospects on the traditional side. 🙂
RWA National/San Diego was my virgin experience. Lost my virginity. Got my creative ass kicked...as in, kicked into gear! Exhausted and energized. So much learned and so much to apply. And the people. Oh the people. What warmth and generosity. There are open doors and great things ahead!!!
I didn't realize this was your first conference, Chris! What an amazing one to start with. I loved seeing your "Photos with the Stars" on Instagram. Made my days while I was getting back to life at home.
And good for you, Chris. You asked a question in one of the sessions I attended. Hope you got all your questions answered.
I'm not exactly shy. So asking questions is never a challenge for me. Yes, I got answers and SO MUCH MORE. Workshops on dialogue, plotting, black moments, murders, sex scenes and hooks made me dig down deep and look at my WIP. Lots of deconstruction and reconstruction in the coming days!
Isn't that the truth. And I saw that you're not shy. Great picture of you with Robyn Carr!
GREAT advice and tips for getting the juices going again! Thanks, Fae--loved this article.
Thanks, Phoebe! It's amazing how writing the article has helped me "get my act together"! Laura and I made a schedule for daily word count/pages in July. She gave me the day off today (I took her to the airport at five a.m.!), but I've already completed my "job" for the day.
I've been taking a bit of a break this summer and LOVING it! Hope you had a wonderful conference Fae.
Thanks, Debbie, I did. Missed you at conference, but I'm so glad you're loving your summer. Enjoy!
[…] Fae Rowan discusses how to use the summer to charge your writing battery. […]
[…] Use the Summer to Charge Your Writing Battery […]