How I Got Back Into Writing— And How You Can Too

A couple of weeks ago I was playing a video game with my oldest son.  It had been months since I’d played last, and I made a comment about how scared I was that I wouldn’t remember what any of the buttons on the controller did.  “Muscle memory, Mom,” my son said, and started the game. Within seconds I was annihilating zombies as if no time had passed.

It’s funny, isn’t it? We set something down, walk away for a while, and as time passes something happens to us:  we get scared.

Fear grows across distance like a fungus, and the longer we put off facing it the more profuse the growth. We start to think the thing we set down has become too heavy, or that our arms have become too weak for the weight. I know this fear.  I know it intimately. 

I know it currently.

It’s a voice in your head, it’s a relentless nagging, it’s an overwhelming sense that you’re too late.  Whatever it is you’ve left behind has left you too.  You’ve forgotten how to make those brush strokes.  Your feet no longer recognize rhythm.  The spark is gone, the well’s dried up, it’s not just like riding a bike. 

What if there is no turning back?

What if you’ve lost it…forever?

The idea of sitting at that computer while my fingers idle and my mind blanks terrifies me.  The possibility that I’ve forgotten everything I know about storytelling is paralyzing, so much so that I’d rather not write than find out I can’t write. Maybe you know this fear, too.  Maybe your own WIP is collecting dust in an old notebook or laptop in some dark desk drawer. 

You miss it, don’t you?

For me, it’s been over a year since I’ve worked on my novel, and four years since I’ve written a blog.  That’s a big chasm to try and jump back across.  But here’s the thing about fear: it has all the time in the world.  That means if you’re waiting around for your fear to dissipate before you get back into writing, you’ll never write another word.  Most likely, you and I are going to have to do this thing afraid.  But it can be done.  And I’ll share with you how I’m doing it. 

Change of Mindset

This one is a big one for me, perhaps the biggest.  I used to live at the mercy of inspiration’s whims. Somewhere along the way I got it into my head that being inspired meant you were meant to write, that it was a sign, maybe from God himself, that you were on the right track. Following that train of logic, when I was uninspired and didn’t feel like writing, I often didn’t. The hitch in this convoluted thinking was, of course, that I was letting my feelings be my guide dog.  Instead of buckling down and getting to work, I wasted so much time waiting for the muses to bless me with their presence. 

A rookie mistake.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years of writing, it’s this: inspiration makes for a horrible writing partner.  She’s a slippery as a hot stick of butter and cools down just as fast.  Yes, it feels great to write inspired, but writing from a place of disciple will get you so much further. 

Now, that said, as I’ve written about in another post, there are seasons for everything.  This may truly not be your season to write, and I’d advise you to pray carefully before deciding either way.  But more often than not, writing requires that we put on our overalls and pick up our shovels and maybe even break a sweat, because this is, after all, work. 

Writing is work, and like all work, it demands discipline and attention and practice.  If you want this writing thing to be more than just a pleasurable hobby, you’re going to have to trade in inspiration for persistence.

Read, read, read!

One of the things that I stopped doing (regrettably) when I stopped writing was reading.  I just didn’t have the mental capacity for it at the time. Now, I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but writers tend to be bookworms as well.  Just try to find a writer who doesn’t read…go on, I’ll wait.  Couldn’t find one, could ya?  That’s because writing and reading go together like inhaling and exhaling.  You can’t have one without the other. 

Words are fuel, and without other writer’s words, a writer dries up.  That certainly happened to me.  I was starving myself mentally.  I had the car but no gas. I had the will but no way.

Except there is a way.

READ!

If you’re struggling to find the words to pen, give yourself a break and open a book.  In fact, open many books.  Read the kind of books you want to write. Read the kind of books that will help you grow as a writer.  Read until your reservoir is full again.  Don’t consider it a waste of writing time—the foundation of good writing is good reading. If you want to know three books that helped me get back on my writer’s feet, you can read about those here.

 Start a blog

Finally, I strongly recommend you start a blog. It’s not for everyone, I know.  But there are invaluable benefits to blogging. 

               1). Most obviously, you’re writing again by blogging.  If you’re finding it hard to get back on the writing wagon, blogging can be a fun and creative way to do that. It’s not the easiest thing to start and maintain a quality blog, but it can be a wonderful outlet.  And bonus, by publishing blog articles, you might be able to inspire other people with your thoughts and ideas. Win win!

               2). It takes the pressure off your WIP.  It can be a crippling thing to focus solely on whatever project you’re trying to write.  By writing a blog, you’re freeing some brain capacity to think about other things.  It’s kind of like brainstorming while doing the dishes; the best ideas often come when we’re busy with something else. So write a blog, and see if it doesn’t help fuel your creativity in other areas. 

               3). You’re committing yourself to a writing goal. Blogging holds you accountable; if you only write and publish posts when the mood strikes you, you aren’t going to have many committed readers.  However, if you stick to a posting schedule, you’ll develop a loyal following.  Blogging teaches you how to set writing goals and achieve them.  Again, it takes discipline, but it’s great practice for creating good writing habits. 

We can do this, and moreover, we can do this together (another great benefit of blogging: community). If you have any tips for coming out of a writing hiatus, please leave me a comment below!  I’d love to hear from you.  Now stop reading this and go WRITE!