Day #1: A writing reboot

I haven’t had a regular writing practice since I left the newspaper last year in May. I took a desk job, which offers regular hours but doesn’t allow for writing group attendance on Thursday mornings, a part of my weekly schedule for almost 15 years.

I miss my writing comrades. I miss the feedback and the support. I miss the easy laughter.

While I’ve attempted to keep up my long-time practice of Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages, I haven’t felt much like writing. Like at all. I mostly sleep past my alarm, and then eke out three or four sentences before it’s time to shower and head out to the office.

As a result, writing feels rusty. Plus I’m bored and stuck. I wouldn’t call it Writer’s Block. Rather, I’ve been toying with the idea that, maybe, I’m not a writer after all. Maybe I used to be, but am no longer. Maybe I was only pretending to be a writer. Maybe it was all a childhood dream, a fantasy that I’ve held on to for too long. (Of course, this is followed by the paralysis of analysis that comes from “if not that, then what?” But that’s a conversation for another day.)

This morning, as I was writing with Creative Warrior Allison Spooner on her YouTube channel, and this being the first day of a new month, I played with giving myself a 31-day challenge: write something each day for this blog for the full month to build a routine, brush off my skills and maybe rekindle the motivation for writing and storytelling I have lost along the way. (And it just so happens I haven’t written anything here since July 1, 2021! How’s that for timing?)

Plus writing has also been a means of self-care, and I seriously need that, being an empath and given everything going on in the world these days. My heart hurts, all the time.

Allison suggested creating a plan so that, when the day comes that I have nothing top of mind I want to say, I’ll be ready and not lose momentum. I’m typically a “pantser” not a “planner,” so this was great advice!

Day #1 is done. I’ll consider it an introduction to this month-long writing challenge. And most importantly for me, I’ve made a commitment to my writing – and to myself.