Your Autumn Writing Routine
By Marina Reis

I don't take well to the transition between summer and fall—in fact, it wouldn't surprise me if you'd heard me say this already in a previous blog I have written. I thrive during the spring and summer, where the long days lend to feeling more productive to tackle your projects and goals. However, the reality is, fall arrives every year and cannot simply be disregarded because the days are dark and the trees are bare.

As I get older, I try to make the most of my time, and that includes learning to cope with the time between September 21 and December 21. My journey has been years in the making and supported generously by everything pumpkin spice and fall vlogs on YouTube.

With the newfound strength that pumpkin spice offers me, I try to remain not only more positive during this time of the year, but also more productive—even if not as productive as I am earlier in the year. Maybe I can't get everything done when the sun is setting at 5pm and my serotonin levels are waning, but I can get something done. What I find helps in the autumn, more than during the other seasons, is having a routine to help you stay on top of what it is you have to tackle.

With all that said, finding the time to write can be a challenge anytime of the year. Every year November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and I don't think that is a coincidence that a month dedicated to something as monumental as writing a novel takes place during what a lot of us probably see as the gloomiest time of year. With that said, I would like to challenge all of our writers here to build an autumn writing routine, starting now until the end of November.

Below I will offer some routine tips on what I find helps me stick to a schedule to get something done, whether that is writing or deep cleaning a filing cabinet. I will operate under the assumption that most of us spend our weekdays working in some fashion or another so, for those of us with a little time to spare, I will break down my advice for early birds, night owls, and then for the blessed two-day weekend that we all hopefully get to enjoy. Integrate and pick and choose what work best for you—but just remember to stick to it everyday, that is the most important part.

You will learn that when building a writing routine, that less is more but, but don't be fooled, you still must work at it. I recommend building a routine based on when you have the most energy, and when you feel you can put aside from your mind all your other responsibilities.

If You Are a Morning Person

Start by journalling. I find that journalling takes the undue pressure that I put on myself when it comes to writing, because inherent in the act of journalling is the subconscious message that if I can write in a journal, I can write—period. Journalling will get your mind going and warm up that brain muscle, not unlike doing stretches before more strenuous exercise.

I am a morning person, so this is when I get my writing done. Weather permitting, even into the fall, I like to open the window and incorporate nature into my routine--the crows on a nearby rooftop, the yellowing leaves blowing off the trees.

Pour yourself some coffee (did someone say pumpkin spice?) or something else that works as a balm for your creative soul.

By now, your pet has probably joined you. Set a timer for however long you have so that you are not constantly looking at the clock, stressing about that ticking hand. No time is too little. Ten minutes, fifteen minutes, one hour. It all adds up.

Now light a candle, pray, and begin.

If You Are a Night Person

Many of the above suggestions can be incorporated to your fall evening writing routine, of course, like praying and setting a timer so that you don't pull an all-nighter (no judgement though if you do!).

Write in bed if you have to. Set some warm mood lighting and type away. I like Ernest Hemmingway's advice of always stopping your writing when you still know what will happen next, that way, when you continue the following evening, you have somewhere to begin, and something to look forward to writing throughout the day.

Some calming tea for comfort will keep your spirits up. Don't worry about perfection. It's too late in the day for that. Just write what you can. At a later stage you will read what you have written in full and can then begin the self-editing. These weeknights are just to get the words you want down. Personally, I like the white noise of the TV in the evenings (you'd be amazed how much I have gotten done with episodes of “The X-Files” playing in the background), such as a rerun of a comforting show, but focus music or just the ambient sounds of your neighbourhood will work too.

Weekend

Weekends are great because they give you forty-eight potential hours of focusing on your writing. You may have to get up early to make time for your writing commitment, but as you see your manuscript progressing the sacrifice will feel worth it.

You may have to make other sacrifices too, including putting your mind at ease as other things you previously considered a weekend priority now take the back burner. Make now the time for your manuscript, you have the rest of the year to wipe down the fridge or wash your car. Cancelled plans can always be rescheduled in December.

Try putting in a full day of work into your writing, if you can, or at least try to beat your weekday writing routine time. It will feel amazing waking up Monday morning knowing how much you got done the previous forty-eight hours towards something that means a lot to you.

I am curious to know what you think of my autumn writing routine suggestions. If you have something else that works for you, let us know! If you have previously participated in NaNoWriMo, feel free to let us know what that experience was like for you as well.

Well, what are you waiting for? Let's get started!
https://nanowrimo.org/

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Did you enjoy this post? Read more by Marina Reis, here. Looking for other tips for NaNoWriMo? See other helpful tips, here.

About this Contributor:

Marina Reis is a Senior Project Manager who joined Word Alive Press in 2017. She graduated from the University of Winnipeg in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in English.