Reset the Pen: How to Get Back Into a Writing Routine This Fall

Summer’s over, distractions are fading (big laugh) but let’s say because the world wants its Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Halloween Costumes and Christmas Trees, the rest of us have to go along to get along and pretend we too, want to save goodbye to the fun, beautiful long sunny days spent out and about with a glass of cool iced tea, and trade all that for classes, back to school prep, budgets, and boring fiscal corporate plans and responsibilities. While I too do not believe summer is over until I say it is, about mid October, really, I’m willing to conform a little but ONLY because for me, the Fall (say it quietly) does promote a sense of buckle down and do some focused projects. I actually love a good winter project or two because they give me an anchor for the winter doldrums that do try to take me down to a SAD place, unfortunately. September through early November, does bring about an orderly planning euphoria that I rather enjoy.

You might have seen the words “Lock In” ad nauseam across social media and don’t let it fool you. I’m convinced social curators, influencers come up with new and “cool” words they use to try to make us think what they’ve “created” is OMG-worthy and revolutionary when it’s just their desire to get followers excited by what is really old stuff we were already doing or planning to do this fall.

So lock in, if your plan is to get back into your writing life routine as I try to do every fall and winter, these ideas might resonate with you. Plus I wanted to share that I am doing live with you, if you’re interested, my own Retreat and Reset 5 Day Program, next month in October. Check that out, and sign up to join me.

Look Back and Set the Tone of thankfulness and Gratitude

One of the first things that you can do to get back into your writing is to simply canvas all that you have been doing these past few months. You don’t want to just jump into things that require order, and focus without just taking a trip down memory lane and remembering all the wonderful fun you had and there’s still more fun to be had with the holidays coming up but look over pictures and maybe draw some gratitude for what was, and make sure you stay with all those pictures front and center as you begin to buckle down. Sometimes that euphoria can be used as momentum to keep going. After all, some of those things that you did over the summer took money and some of the money that you made came from the books that you sold and you want to celebrate that and just hold that as a reminder of what you’ve been doing and who you do it all for. You might go through this exercise and also make a list of some other things that you really wanted to do that you just didn’t have time to get around to, and maybe make a fall list of things that you’re looking forward to like apple picking to make that signature apple pie. These things will give you momentum as you trudge through some of the more mundane tasks that are coming up.

Clean Up

Nothing is more fun to a writer than organizing pens and sharpening all those pencils. Some think these things are for naught, but honestly, for me, it’s a part of my thinking time, we should actually embrace the time of what looks like procrastination but is really thinking about the stories, the schedules for social media posts and all the things that come with creative writing pursuits; it’s a time to reset my actual writing space and clear the clutter that happened over all those last few months going out and letting random things pile up on my desk.

Get Clear

As you’ve been out and about, there very well may be a bit of a fogginess over what you’ve been doing. I like to write down all the projects and recommit as I have whether that’s to the community services, writing organizations and the writing process, plans for any releases in the next year or a to-do list on what needs to get done in order to make the year great, finish strong and still feel a sense of accomplishment.

Review Calendar / Schedule Tasks, Meetings and Commitments

If some of the things that you do go on hiatus for the summer they probably started back up again about a week or two ago or are coming up soon. You’ll want to review your calendar and make sure everything that you have a part in, is on the calendar with reminders. This includes your daily or weekly writing routines, and word-count goals. With the release of my 21^st book, Smoking Confessions, I’ve been heavily into promotion mode most of the summer and haven’t had a lot of time to think about writing the next project; of course I’ve been working on it but not in a focused way. Time to reset that.

Review Your Goals, Evaluate and Toss Ones No Longer Relevant

While your goals at the beginning of the year may look foreign to your current eyes, I bet there’s at least one or two that you could finish strong on before the year is over. A couple of the things that I started this year or even re-up’d for, was looking to work with a book coach. I plan to write a blog post on this too so email me any questions I could work into my post if you’d like. If you find all your goals have no progress whatsoever, one of the things you might do, let’s say for example, you too are interested in working with a book coach, or even a marketing coach and that fell by the wayside, what you could do is to decide right now on three coaches to query, if you don’t have someone in mind, from the internet (or ask for some recommendations from an author-friend). oh, oh, I know a couple. Get quotes on any specialties they might have, and see if they have availability for a discovery or short consulting call in the next few weeks or so. Get on their books, set a date for 2026 if they are not available anymore this year. While you didn’t get a coach per se this year you at least have made one step forward getting on one’s calendar before they get super busy and no longer have an openings for you. Make some progress even if it doesn’t seem like you’re completing the whole of the task you set for yourself. Now, setting a future date also means you have to get ready and get your project together for what you want the coach to work on with you. You might add a new goal of finishing/polishing a sample to send to said coach for them to review.

Lock In On Routines and Rituals

Consistency is one of the best things that you can do to make progress and get back to your writing routines, picking back up where you left off because you were going on vacation and traveling. Rejoin that weekly writing sprint challenge, get back into that chapter organization that you used to go regularly. As soon as the kids are off, commit to write two hours in the morning, or two hours before dinner or dictate a goal of 2000 words as soon as the kids are off to school.

Final Thoughts

Only you can decide what needs to be done and this serves as a starter of ideas, but the best plans and rituals are the ones you’ll actually implement. In parting, you might want to do just these last few things, purchase something that will make you feel special, a pen, a notebook for a brand new story or series, and all the new planners are coming out now. This new thing serves as a marker celebrating this changing time, the fall season and who knows what will come back from your efforts; consider talking to the family, everyone including your spouse, to communicate that you will be returning to your very important writing habits. It’s by no means the end of the fun that ensued over the summer but boundaries and expectations need to be set. And, in all your planning, remember to get back out to the book events, a conference or two and all the things that encourage us writers and refill our creative wells. The fun should continue in new and exciting ways but never does it have to stop completely.

We will be covering this and so much more in our 5 Day Retreat and Reset 5,