Feeling that September energy? It's a great time for a fresh start, as summer fades here in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn begins. Here are 5 things you might want to try:

1. Pick Up a Dormant or Stalled Project

Did you set a writing project down at the start of the summer (or before)? Now might be the perfect time to pick it back up again. That's exactly what I'm doing with the Aliventures newsletter and blog: last week, I spent some time planning out my content for September, and this week, I'm writing a newsletter today (Monday) and a blog post for Thursday.

2. Recommit to an Ongoing Project

If you've been reading the Aliventures newsletter for a while, you might remember that I'm working on a 250 word/day fiction writing goal this year. I missed a few days over the summer, when things were particularly busy, but I've recommited to that goal since the kids went back to school! Is there a project or goal that you could recommit to, or perhaps modify?

3. Get New Stationery or Writing Gear

Maybe you haven't got a new Arsenal rucksack like my son ... but you can still enjoy having new gear or stationery! This is the perfect time of year to get your notebooks/pens/highlighter fix, as shops have stocked up with "back to school" promotions. Having a nice notebook or just the right pen can help writing to feel like a treat, not a chore.

4. Read a Writing-Related Book

Is there a particular genre of writing you want to try out, or a new skill you want to develop? There's almost certainly a book on it! Even if you're not trying to learn something specific, you might enjoy reading a biography or autobiography of one of your favourite writers. Over the next month or two, I'm reading Writing Irresistible Kidlit by Mary Kole (trying my hand at children's writing) and The Extraordinary Life of E. Nesbit by Elisabeth Galvin.

5. Start Something Entirely New

Perhaps this September is the time to finally launch your freelancing career, start a blog, or begin writing a novel. You might be at a new stage of life, perhaps with your youngest child now in school, or your kids having all left for university. Or maybe life is as busy as ever ... but you're going to seize the moment! If you're looking for some inspiration, try Get Writing for lots of practical tips to get started with four different areas of writing. 

If you're not sure what might suit you from the list above, start small. Pick a self-contained project or a small writing goal (like "write a 1,000 word story" or "write 200 words a day for a week") and see how that goes for you. 

I'd love to hear about your writing goals and projects, big or small! If you're in the Aliventures Club on Facebook (which is free to anyone who's ever bought anything from me!) then do pop by and share what you're up to and how you're getting on. Here's the link to find the Aliventures Club and to join:

facebook.com/groups/aliventuresclub

Happy writing,

Ali

P.S. Want more to read? Take a look at 10 Aliventures Posts to Catch Up On. I'll be back with fresh blog posts from Thursday onwards. :-)