Why You Shouldn't Write (Sometimes)

Where Fleur hangs out with pelicans and gets a lot of writing done (without writing).

I’m back from an impromptu writing weekend/retreat to the California coast, because it was drawing me that way. The trip was too short to accomplish a whole lot (I need a month for that, which is too pricey, alas), but it was just the reset I needed. It helps to step away from your everyday environment to sort your thoughts.

Being in California doesn’t hurt, by the way. It’s a charmer.

I hugged a few redwood trees. It was nice.

On the flight home, I pondered writing and how my process has changed as the years (decades, really) have gone on. My time was once spent getting that first draft down, revising, polishing, adding and subtracting. I still have to do this (a book will not get written otherwise), but now I spend so much more time just thinking about my book.

By the way, my amazing author friend Beth McMullen said something similar in her recent post about taking a break.

When I’m walking the dog, doing chores, taking a vacation—I’m writing. Taking a moment or two to think about the plot, theme, and how all the pieces fit together is vital now. It saves a lot of time when you get to editing.

I’ve learned not to beat myself up if the words aren’t necessarily flowing. I’m thinking. And that’s enough.

Again, looking out at the pelicans from the beach is the best spot for all this thinking, in my humble opinion.

But. In the words of Eminem: snap back to reality, oh there goes gravity… Gravity feels kinda nice here in the mountains though. It’s good to be home with my hiking boots solidly placed on the red rocky ground, and do my thinking looking at the Rockies again. I’m a Colorado girl after all.

I hope you got some writing or other creative thing done this summer too, or that you just thought about stuff.

It counts as writing.

What I’m Writing

I was pondering my middle-grade mystery while I was away, and I have a good plan of action. I now hope to edit this puppy in September, to a more finished draft by the end of the month. It won’t be entirely done (that will take a few more rounds) but with this next revision it’ll start to resemble what I hope the book to be.

To keep my focus, I’ll just work on this one and nothing else. Maybe I’ll make more progress that way…

See, I’m always refining the process.

Where I’m Going

I have a host of virtual events, mostly school visits and literacy conference speaking, so I’ll stay busy from my office chair. October looks to be full of in-person events including a week-long trip to Austin, TX; more on that later.

Around Casa Fleur in Colorado, temperatures have dropped a little, so I’m hoping to get some outside DIY in before the snow drops.

Good News

Contributor copies came in the mail for the Best Mystery Stories of the Year: 2024 anthology, which was nice to come home to. My story How to Teach Yourself to Swim is in it, first published by the cool people at Dark Yonder. This Best Of anthology is quite the feather in this (short) mystery writer’s cap; just check out the lineup:

There was cake, of course, because I’m a big believer in celebrating our accomplishments.

Your Weekly Floof

Floof does not appreciate all this travel. That is all.