Good morning authors and welcome to another #writerwednesday, where we talk craft, industry and more. Today, today, ends the merry, merry month of May and boy howdy it feels like summer snuck up on me this year. With the advent of the summer season, many of you might be feeling the slight stirrings of panic. Whether it's encroaching deadlines, self imposed or not, finding a new work/ writing/ family life routine as schools let out for the summer, or readjusting to the summertime work load and life in general, the summer season is generally one of rebalancing priorities.
Gentle Reminders for the Summer Season
Facing the FOMO
Querying authors, this one is for you. A number of agents and publishers close for the summer season and you may be feeling the FOMO, or fear of missing out, if you fail to squeak your submission in under the deadline. If you find yourself rushing to finish a manuscript, it is better to take a breathe and let that deadline pass on its merry way. Give yourself the summer months to finish and perfect that manuscript because that agent/ publisher will likely open again in the fall, refreshed and ready to go. Many of us struggle with that need to finish, and this usually gives us nothing but anxiety. Your story generally only benefits when given more time and space, allowing you to fine tune any issues before it faces the scrutiny of agents or publishers.
Give Yourself An Adjustment Period
That summer transition can be rough. Depending on what challenges you face, whether it is an uptick at work, juggling kids who are now at home full time, or wilting in the heat, the previous niche you carved for yourself to write will likely up and vanish for a time as you readjust. You might battle exhaustion to scribble down a few dozen words every day or you may call it a day and crash on the couch with the latest true crime documentary for a week and that is perfectly okay. You will find your balance again eventually, even if takes a month or two to get back to it.
The Hammer of Summer Heat
For those of us in the Northern hemisphere, the heat is coming and it is going to likely be brutal. Parts of the globe are already on fire. Extreme heat waves also pose a whole host of health risks, from dehydration to heat stroke. Keeping all of that in mind, even the most summer loving person may find themselves drained of energy when the heat waves start coming. Take that into account when you find your body and your creative energy melting into a puddle on your front porch.
For many of us, the warmer months and sunshine are often a boon for creativity, and if you can find the space to write comfortably, embrace it. But if the summer months feel like a mental hammer, you are not alone.