Happy Friday!

As I noted in my email to you earlier this week, I’m starting to get back into the groove in terms of re-engaging with the world after a couple of months in hermit-mode.

Other than my work with my one-on-one clients, I have been largely uncreative for a couple of months now.

And that even includes writing!

Which means getting back into the creative groove also includes getting back into an ideal writing mindset.

Unfortunately, as I have said before, writing a not like riding a bike.

You see, I haven’t ridden a bicycle in years. All the same, I’m pretty sure if you handed me a shiny red 12-speed it wouldn’t take more then a couple seconds for me to get back into the riding groove.

Some things are like that.

I could pick up a guitar right now and play you Green Day’s “When I Come Around,” even though I haven’t played that song in years. I could whip you up an incredible lasagna from scratch even though I haven’t made one in couple of months.

Unfortunately, writing doesn’t work that way.

Writing is more akin to working out in the gym. At first, it’s difficult, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Take a break from that regular habit, however, and it’s almost right back to square one.

You can’t just hop back into a manuscript the way you hop back on a bike after time away. Coming out of periods of great stress, sickness, or, oh, I don’t know, maybe a global pandemic(!), can be difficult for many writers.

After time away from the process of putting words on the page, many writers return to their manuscripts feeling frustrated because the writing doesn’t come as smoothly as it did before.

This is perfectly normal and no cause for alarm. It takes time to get back into the writing groove. Your muse hasn’t left you. You haven’t forgotten how to write. You’ve just broken the habit. You are just out of practice.

So, if you have put your writing on hold these last few weeks or months, go ahead and give yourself time to ease back into it.

Writing isn’t like riding a bike… but, if you are kind to yourself and you stay persistent with your writing, it can be just as fun.

Your pal in writing,

 

Kevin T. Johns, writing coach

P.S. On the topic of being out of the habit, author Austin Kleon shared some great tips this morning about how to get back into the reading groove if you have been having trouble getting reading done during the pandemic.