This week I had the honor of meeting with my creative writing students. Despite the fact that I teach them online, I encouraged them to either call in for a video chat, or if they were local, to stop by my office so we can get to know each other a little so I can be more specific with my feedback as the semester goes on.
This, my friend, is the good stuff. They are so excited to write. They are so open to advice. They are open to the experience. I love teaching writing, and this is a wonderful reminder of why I do it.
While I listen to them talk, because I don’t often have to ask too many questions, I will encourage them to set a creative goal for themself this semester.
January is the perfect time for setting a Creative Goal as part of the Writers Glow Up. It’s New Year’s Resolutions time! Everything feels fresh and new. And honestly, Spring Semester has a whole different energy than the Fall Semester because both students and teachers are ready to learn from their mistakes.
I explained to the students that Creative Goals often fall into the following categories:
Productivity – dedicating the self to getting words on a page. One can set word count goals or time and space goals. I would also say “limiting distractions” would fall into this category, so setting a writing time and making sure to put Do Not Disturb on your devices so as to not be distracted from your flow.
Inspiration – this is a “fill your cup” type of goal. What activities that don’t seem like writing trigger creative feelings and desires. Making artist dates, creating a writing playlist, visiting the book store, or reading/rereading inspirational texts. I love visiting the bookstore. I also love rereading Patti Smith’s Just Kids because all they cared about was each other and making art. Sometimes an Inspirational goal isn’t about filling the cup, but not allowing yourself to be distracted by inspiration. I love starting things, and endings are hard. When I recognize I am approaching the end of a project, it’s like a window opens allowing ideas to pour in and I feel compelled to start something new. Any new potential ideas that pop into my head are written on my whiteboard in my writers studio, but I also will jot them down in a journal or notebook. Place your new precious ideas in a safe place until your plate is clear.
Research – When writers have a desire to write something they do not know, a research goal might be the right move. World building, historical records, intricate poisons, myths and folklore: research takes time. And while you want to be knowledgeable, over-research can set in the way of writing time. Research is a cozy place to hide when one is self-sabotaging. A creative goal here would be boundaries. For every hour of research, you must write for two hours.
Time Management – I have the voice of a faceless negative naysayer in my brain whenever I think, Who’s got the time? Anyone who has responsibilities knows finding time for anything can be a stretch, so this is where time management comes in, particularly managing unoccupied time. These are the blocks of time where you don’t have an appointment or active responsibility. If I have an open space that doesn’t have a task assigned to it, I will do nothing. I will wait until someone needs something from me. Like I’m keeping myself open for someone else to assign a task to me. When I speak with others, they say what happens with them in a person has a moment to themselves and they respond to the idle time with social media, scrolling through Netflix, or shopping online, and then hours later realize they didn’t get anything accomplished and in the end, they carrying around all this guilt for not making the most of their time. Time management isn’t about working oneself to death, but ditching the guilt. Do what you can, shut down at the same time every day, allow yourself to rest without guilt.
When the ambition of writing a novel starts to feel like work, then it’s much easier to quit. By setting a writing goal, and reassessing that goal as the project goes on – because the doldrums might be a result of lack of inspiration (or burnout), the need for research, or a reassessment of how I am spending my time – then the project will stop feeling like work again.
It will feel fun again.
XOXO,
B.
I encouraged someone this week to allow themselves to "thrive in their creativity". Seek inspiration, experiment with new ideas, light some candles, and put on the flowy robe. I said, "revel your most pretentious writer self." If that sounds like heaven to you, check out my online course, This is What a Writer Looks Like!
Also, get on the list! Those who preorder physical copies of Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder will receive a signed copy to be mailed out on the morning of release day, March 14!
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