It is time for a summer break. A writing break is any time spent away from a writing project. It can be a short break— a day, a week—or a long break, like a month or a year. Regardless, writing breaks can help you clear your head, get a fresh perspective, accomplish other tasks, or simply rest.
Do you want to know a writing secret? Writing is hard work and writers need to and should take a break. I will be taking some time off from writing this month. I may even take a break from writing children’s stories. Every writer needs time to rest, relax and regroup. I am calling it my summer break.
Burnout
When you’re go-go-go all the time, shifting from one project to the next, it wears you down. At first it feels great to be writing and completing story drafts, but I have been going non stop for several years. I love writing children’s stories, but when I find that I am spending less and less time writing, I know it is time for me to take a break. I am running out of new blog post ideas and fresh storylines. By taking a writing break, I can hopefully prevent burnout.
New perspective
Revising continuously the same piece of writing can make us lose our objectivity. Sometimes I get so caught up in my writing or I try to finish a writing project quickly that I lose my focus. Taking a break allows me to come back to my writing with a clear mind and a new perspective.
Sometimes when revising my writing after a break, I can bring new ideas to my writing. Giving yourself time away will allow your creative juices to flow. You may even find the courage to scrap what you were doing and start something completely new. Gertie Saves the Day was one of those pieces I had written years ago and when I came back to it after a break I started to take it in a new direction.
Taking a break does not mean you are giving up writing
A writing break doesn’t mean you can’t think about writing or think about new ideas. As a writer I can see something or hearing something that can spark my creativity. Taking a writing break can simply be a break from your current writing project to allow your mind to have a rest and let you creativity soar. If you want to read a terrific book about creativity I recommend Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. I enjoyed her perspective on creativity.
How long should your break be?
Only you can decide how long of a break you need. Try not to feel guilty if you end up taking a long break. You should take the time you feel you need. When you are ready to come back to it, your writing will be there. You can take a writing break whenever you feel the need, not just during a summer break.
Do yourself a favor and take a break from your writing. Allow yourself time to refresh, get reacquainted with your creativity and revamp your writing. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Thoughts …
My summer break will be for the rest of August. This blog will return right after Labor Day. I hope you will join me back here for more writing blog posts.
With gratitude …
I am so glad you’re here. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I am grateful that I can share my writing journey with you. It is an endless journey of learning and growing. A journey that I am enjoying.
I am now booking author visits for the 2023 -2024 school year. If you are a classroom teacher, teacher assistant, Parent Teacher Association President, or After school Director I can work with you to create a visit that will meet the needs of your students. Please contact me to book your visit.
My website has been updates and it is now interactive. There are surprises everywhere. Click on the balloons and see where they take you. Can you find two writing videos? Freebies? A chocolate chip recipe? There’s even a special freebie to anyone who subscribes to my newsletter. Check out the resources for children, parents and teachers, librarians and homeschooling families.
Please consider purchasing a copy of Two Wins for Wiley or Gertie Saves the Day for gifts. If you are going to a baby shower, birthday party or thinking about books for summer reading. It is my wish to get as many books as I can into the hands of children. Children need to hear all kinds of stories. A book is the best gift I can think of for both children and adults!
A request …
You can really help this author by leaving a book review on Amazon or Goodreads. You can leave a review for Gertie Saves the Day here or here. Two Wins for Wiley here or here. Reviews can be as easy as 2-3 sentences. It should take about 30 seconds to leave and would make a huge difference for me. Need help writing a review? Click here.
See you in September.