the craft. spring renewal: rituals for creative rejuvenation.
Spring has almost sprung and I’m excited to tell you that your battle with the seasonal blues is coming to an end. It can be a real challenge to stay creative in the winter months, unless it’s just your jam, but it’s time to kick off the rust and jump into all of the new work that you want to create now that Daylight Saving is upon us.
This means we’re getting more sunlight hours in the day, which if you’re anything like me, makes you feel like I can do anything. Now, spring presents its own challenges. The weather starts to heat up and all of a sudden you’re not feeling so inclined to sit behind your laptop screen for hours at a time, but there will always be an excuse not to write. So, what you have to learn are some of the tools that get you inspired enough to keep showing up to the page.
It’s the slow and steady progress that helps you suddenly get to 50k words and feel like you really have the beginnings of a manuscript draft. So what are some of the things that you can do to truly knock those cobwebs off and get your creative juices flowing once again? Well, here are a few of my thoughts:
Re-read a craft book. Personally, 1,000 Words by Jami Attenberg might be just what you need. The book is filled with these encouraging messages from writers of all genres and creeds as well as advice from Attenberg as well. It’s the little pep talk you may need to feel like you can indeed do this thing you set out to do in writing that book or essay.
Clear your space. That writing desk that is holding a lot of other things besides your laptop or notebook? Yeah, let’s clear that off. Let’s re-arrange, get a more comfortable chair, move the whole thing closer to a window, whatever you have to do to make the space more inviting for you to sit down and do your work. From week to week even, it makes such a big difference when my space is clear and ready to receive me.
Morning pages. Julia Cameron has her own approach, but I would say even three pages of free writing to get the creative juices flowing could be helpful to your process. Sometimes knowing where to start is the hardest part. But I find that journaling can sometimes lead me in the right direction. I start to see themes and patterns that I want to explore in maybe a fiction or nonfiction piece.
Get outside. One of the things I love the most about living in LA and enduring the insane cost of living is the amount I get outside. I need that sun shining down on me. The sound of the birds. That little bit of pollution (j/k) to really get me going. Taking a walk or going on a hike gets me out of my head for a while which improves how I return to the page when it’s time. As the temps heat up, don’t be afraid to get out and move.
This is an excerpt from the craft, our weekly newsletter on writing. For full access to our archive and to learn more about our membership community, Permission Granted, head to our website.