Everyone knows how it feels. You’re fond of a project, doing a lot of work on it, polishing and trying to get it done. But then life interferes and you find yourself forced into doing other things for extended periods of time and suddenly, you’re away from that project for so long, that you start wondering:
How do I get back into it?
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I’m enduring this now. As of yesterday, I started working on Werewolf’s Lair again. I wrote a whopping two paragraphs and then closed the document. Not exactly anything special, is it?
At the same time, however, I find that works best after a long break. Slowly build it up. Yes, I only wrote two paragraphs, but next time, maybe I’ll write a couple hundred words, and before you know it, I’ll be back to how it was before!
Another thing that helped is the fact that, while I did little to no writing for a month, I started reading again. Because of this, even if I wasn’t writing, I was never far away from writing. Was it my writing? No. Was it still inspirational and useful in the long run?
Of course.
I read books. I reviewed books. Speaking of which, you can find my reviews on Goodreads. If you want to updated with what I’m reading, then that’s the best way to do so!
In the long run, even though I was away from my writing, it still lingered in the back of my mind, because I was reading other books. I never fully separated myself from it and that’s important with any project – whether writing, drawing, reading, or anything else you may do.
So, for me, Werewolf’s Lair is slowly getting back on track and that progress bar will be filling up soon!
When it comes to projects, how do you get back into them after a break? Share your stories!
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May 13, 2012 at 3:10 pm
I read what I’ve already written. It immerses me back into that world. Then I write, and keep writing, and don’t let myself stop. I’ve found that for me, easing my way back into it doesn’t work. I need to be violently dunked back into it. And I like it this way. 😀
May 13, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Sometimes that works for me, but other times it doesn’t. I tend to be at a loss when I first return to a project, so easing my way in is the best way to go for me!
May 15, 2012 at 8:48 pm
Yeah, I’m at a loss too, usually, hence why I end up re-reading the whole thing all over again. XD Sometimes though that just makes me feel immensely intimidated – that I will never get the feel of the character again. :S
May 18, 2012 at 12:50 pm
Yeah, exactly! I seem to have gotten back into the story. I had stopped in the middle of a chapter (stupid!), but I just finished the chapter after writing nearly 1,500 words.
May 15, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Great post! I am actually thinking of going back to my first novel which I wrote seven years ago. My teachter talked me into revising it so I could publish it one day.
Good luck with Werewolf’s Liar!
May 15, 2012 at 6:18 pm
That sounds like a great plan! I hope it all works out for you; good luck!
Thank you very much!
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May 16, 2012 at 3:36 pm
I just returned from a two week vacation, and now I am trying to get back into my blogging. I thought I would be ready to go, with lots of new material, but, no, I am scrabbling for the words (okay the right words, I am a perfectionist after all). But I did write several paragraphs last night and organized my photos a bit. That should help when I really get going! Today! Thanks for this timely blog post.
May 18, 2012 at 12:51 pm
I had a two week vacation back at the start of April, so I know what it’s like! Hopefully you get back into blogging soon and I’m glad you liked this post!
May 26, 2012 at 12:13 am
I read an interesting solution by author Joseph Nassise about writer’s block and diving back into a project. He always stops mid-page, mid-paragraph, and mid-line, so that when he returns he has to immediately finish his thought to continue writing. And, then by that point usually the juices begin to flow and he can get at least several hundred (if not thousands) of words done. Since I heard his little bit of advice I have followed it to ‘T,’ and it has worked like a
😉
Great blog, cheers!
May 26, 2012 at 8:29 am
I might have to give that a try, though I’m generally the type who gets stuck if I stop writing mid-thought. I’ll still see how it goes!
Thanks for visiting! 🙂