How to Rest in Writing Without Losing Your Groove

July Newsletter

Dear Writers,

Have you ever experienced writing burnout? I have, and my goodness, once you get to burnout, it can be hard to reignite that spark of joy that inspired you to write in the first place. Sometimes you spend weeks, even months and years, hunting among the embers for a live coal to prod into a new fire. 

Why am I talking about burnout today? 

I see a lot of writers afraid to take a restful approach to their writing for fear or losing hard-won momentum. There’s certainly something to be said for keeping a writing ritual, and if you have one, I am by no means encouraging you to break it. 

What I am encouraging you to do is remember to keep play, variety, and rest embedded in your writing life to pre-empt burnout. And guess what? Building a habit of rest into your writing often unintentionally results in growth, inspiration, and – yes – increased productivity. This sounds crazy, but it actually works. I’ve dedicated the first half of this year to slowing down and engaging in thoughtful rest and play. 

And guess what? I’ve already written more new words this half year than I had in the entire previous year and a half. 

One of our St. Basil instructors,

Nicole M. Roccas

, does an excellent job reminding us of this, challenging writers to consider their creative lives as organic, living, and dynamic rather than overly-regimented, machinated, and static.

Just as trees go through seasons of dormancy and fruit-bearing, we shouldn’t think of the times of reduced creative output as wasted or inconsequential; sometimes we need those times to store up energy to produce fruit. 

Next month, we’re very excited to welcome cohort 2 to the St. Basil Writers’ Workshop, beginning with an in-person kick-off retreat in the Adirondack Mountains!

As we prepare for a fruitful year ahead, I encourage all of us to think about why, how, and when to take rest from writing in a way that refreshes our creativity and helps us accomplish deeper work without losing sight of our goals. 

Article Spotlight

Writing mastery outlines four specific reasons you may want to take a writing break. My favorite part of this article, though, is the section on how to take a break:

1. Decide in advance how and when to get back to your writing;

2. Keep your writing routine but work on something other than creative writing (e.g. plotting or marketing);

3. Experiment, daydream, and do things that inspire you;

4. Engage in other hobbies; and

5. Always keep learning your craft.

All in all, this article is a good reminder that refilling the creative well can look like almost anything: closing your computer lid and taking a walk, writing a letter, narrating stories to friends and family over a beer, experimenting with another genre, etc.

Book Recommendation

Jane Austen is best known for “Pride and Prejudice”, “Sense and Sensibility”, and “Emma”, and rightly so! She also took time, however, to play in her writing, and the books that resulted from this playfulness are quite entertaining!

If you’ve never read “Lady Susan”, you’re missing a delightful and unusual gem. Even the style and format of this book is unique, as the story is told through a series of letters. Each character’s personality shines through their letters, creating a highly entertaining experiment in multiple POVs. I laughed out loud when I read it. Enjoy!

Storytelling Activity

Instead of a storytelling talk, I’m giving you a storytelling activity! I challenge you to take one creative break this month. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Go stargazing

• Play around in a new genre

• Expand your imaginative horizons by dipping into an art form you’ve avoided your whole life. If you hate opera, go listen to an entire opera. Do something outside your comfort zone. 

• Cook a new dish

• Tell someone a story orally  

In keeping with creative rest, I am taking my kids to a hobby farm in the Catskills to help the locals.

If you need more inspiration, Nicole Bianchi has a fun article on “15 Famous Writers’ Fascinating and Unusual Hobbies.”

Happy resting, reading, and writing!

~ Deacon Nicholas