I had such a great start to the year, I guess it was inevitable that it wouldn’t last.

 

In the space of two months, I developed a daily writing habit, wrote six new short stories and two articles, took part in multiple short fanfic challenges, got high praise from someone I respect for my reviewing skills, got a really positive response from a publisher about my first novel, and devised a plan to finish my second novel.

 

And now I’m struggling to find the motivation to write anything at all.

 

The Vaults festival is over, so no more weekly shows and reviews. The fanfic challenges I take part in seem to be taking a couple of weeks off. I’ve had feedback from an editor friend on how to revise Artisan and I don’t know what to do with what she’s suggested, or what to do with what the publisher has asked for. Completing the first draft of Colours seems an insurmountable task with deadlines I’ll never meet. I haven’t had any publication acceptances since November. And I’m not feeling remotely inspired by any of the upcoming short story submissions I could write something for.

 

I’m still just about managing to write every day, though I do feel like I’ve cheated a bit on some days, and it’s starting to feel like a chore rather than something I’m enjoying.

 

Wow – I’m very whiny!

 

Maybe it’s time to let go of my attachment to daily writing. I’ve only ever managed ten days in a row before, so 74 is quite a record! And it’s not something I’ve ever felt very strongly about. I think what I’ll do is give myself the weekend off completely from writing projects, and come back to it fresh on Monday, when I have a writing session planned in town, following by a coaching session by my friend, Claire. I can spend the day taking stock of my various projects and making some new plans (I do love making lists!) and then talk about some of these issues with Claire in the evening. And if I come at it from a place of refreshment, rather than forcing myself to carry on with a habit that’s turned unhelpful, perhaps I can find my energy again.

 

Just coming up with that approach and writing it down has made me feel better. I know this is just a temporary slump and that my writing mojo will return. And I think it’s a case of being kind to myself for a couple of days and enjoying some relaxation, rather than always thinking what I could be writing in every spare minute.

 

Now that sounds like a plan!