Whether you're working on one big project or lots of little projects, you likely ended up taking some time away from it over the Christmas and New Year period.

Maybe that was time you'd planned to take off to spend with family and friends. Or maybe it was an unplanned break. (Mine was a bit of both!)

Getting restarted again can feel distinctly daunting. Perhaps you were writing steadily back in December, or maybe you even tackled NaNoWriMo in November, but diving in again feels like a big effort.

Here are a few simple ways to reconnect to your writing and get back into it after some time off.

#1: Read a Writing Book / Magazine / Blog

If you don't quite feel ready to write yet, then pick up your favourite writing-related book or magazine, or check out some past posts on a blog you enjoy. (Here's the Aliventures blog archive, which should keep you busy for a while!)

Just tapping into the world of writing can help remind you that you are a writer and that writing is something that's important to you.

#2: Read Over What You Were Last Working On

If you're mid-way through a novel, then re-reading some or all of your work so far can help you feel excited about your ideas again ... and it helps you figure out what threads you need to pick up on when you start writing again.

But even if you're working on short, separate pieces (like short stories or blog posts), it's useful to read back over some of your recent work. Hopefully, it'll help remind you what you genuinely enjoy about writing.

#3: Look Ahead to Make Time (and Space) for Your Writing

When you're struggling to get back into writing, you're probably not going to end up simply opening your laptop and getting going again on your novel at the end of a busy day.

Instead, it might help to look for a specific time you could get started again. Figure out where you'll write, too. Perhaps you can block out a couple of hours on Saturday ... and escape to a coffee shop so you're not distracted by all the boxes of decorations that still need putting away. 

#4: Do Some Brainstorming or Make Notes About Your Writing

If I don't feel that I have the energy to write a blog post or part of my novel, I often turn to planning instead. Writing down a list of ideas, or making notes about what could happen in my next scene, feels a lot easier and less draining.

Could you do something similar? Grab your favourite drink and snack (personally, I am working my way through a great haul of Christmas chocolate...) and spend some time just playing around with ideas.

Whether you're already getting underway with your writing again or you need to give yourself a little more time to ease back in, I hope 2023 is a great writing year for you.

Happy writing,

Ali

P.S. If you missed the most recent blog post, you can find it here:

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