July 5th isn’t a major U.S. calendar holiday, but because July 4th fell on a Sunday this year, many people with full-time jobs are taking July 5th as a holiday from work. Including me. So I’m here but not here. And do you know what I’m not doing, wherever I am?
I’m not writing. I’m taking a writing holiday.
As writers, we work hard, and more often than not we throw ourselves totally into our works-in-progress. We push and push. We problem-solve. We tackle challenging scenes and wrestle them to the ground. We generate new words. We agonize over deleting them. We are writers, and we write.
But as writers, I think it’s important we spend some time not writing. Taking a little time away.
Here are three of the times I think that’s most true.
One: after finishing a draft. I know too many aspiring writers who’ve gone almost immediately from “I think I’m finally going to finish my book” to “I’m sending it out!” When you’ve just finished a draft, you don’t have the proper distance to evaluate it. Set it aside. Come back later. Switch to another project if you want to, but if you can take at least a week away from writing of any kind, and a month away from the actual manuscript, I highly recommend it.
This is still true, by the way, at every stage of the process.
When I recently made a major change in the first few chapters of my book at my editor’s suggestion, as soon as I finished that revision, did I fire it off to my editor? No I did not. I sent it to my agent. I took a few days away. I’d added a scene; it isn’t that major an event in the grand scheme of edits, but it was early enough in the book that it could have a radical effect on pacing and tone. And I was way too close to know what the heck a first-time reader would think. My agent isn’t a first-time reader either, but I trust her opinion, and she had the proper distance. Someone with distance is helpful. You with distance is even better. Let that novel sit for a while.
Two: after your book sells. Two good reasons for this. One, you shouldn’t be writing, because you should be celebrating! It’s a huge milestone. Put everything on pause and be grateful. More than likely you will have months and months of further work ahead of you. There’ll be a thousand things you’re thinking about. Jot them down and leave them be. Do nothing but celebrate. A week or a month. Rest up. You’re going to need that energy later.
Three: after receiving feedback. Oh, it’s tempting. You come home (or log off) from critique group, everyone seems to have cool ideas and great insights, and you want to immediately put them into practice. Or an agent who has read your full MS – and loves it except for one major element – asks you if you would revise it for her. Or your editor sends you a detailed editorial letter, walks you through it, wishes you well, and tells you she knows you can do it. And you can! You want to! You’re ready!
Hold up. You’re not ready.
Many, many ideas sound great the first time you hear them. They’re a lot harder to incorporate in practice, so before you undertake that major change, be absolutely sure that’s what you want. Scribble down some notes if you want to. Spend some time staring out the window and daydreaming about the changes if you want. But take 24 hours at a minimum before opening that file on your computer and changing the actual words.
In short: spend some time not writing, and your writing will be better for it.
And have a happy writing holiday!
image by D Sharon Pruitt
About Jael McHenry
Jael McHenry is the debut author of The Kitchen Daughter (Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books, April 12, 2011). Her work has appeared in publications such as the North American Review, Indiana Review, and the Graduate Review at American University, where she earned her MFA in Creative Writing. You can read more about Jael and her book at jaelmchenry.com or follow her on Twitter at @jaelmchenry.
I completely agree with all of this. :)
And I am also taking a writing holiday today (mainly because my husband is off work and this is one of the rare opportunities that we have to do nothing together).
Fantastic advice. It’s so easy to feel like, “OMG I HAVE to get cracking on these ideas or these suggestions right away!” Especially because “the publishing industry is dying” or whatever, so we feel like we must work post-haste or else we will lose our opportunity. But another way to lose your opportunity is to mess up your story by rushing it. That’s one mistake I don’t want to learn the hard way.
So yeah, I’m taking a bit of a holiday this weekend as I visit my family. I hope everyone’s having a lovely 4th (or 5th)!
Good points! I’m often surprised how distance from a manuscript will give you a totally different perspective upon your return.
I hadn’t thought about pausing after feedback, but that too is a really good suggestion. I’ll definitely keep it in mind. Thanks!
I completely agree with “writer holidays.” My problem, though, is that if I go without writing for more than a few days, that “few days” seems to multiply. Then it’s harder to get back into it. I prefer to take holidays to other projects (as you mentioned) — the change of scenery does wonders!
This is so true! I don’t *like* time away from writing very much–I love my daily sessions with my characters too much–but I do definitely recognize that it’s an essential part of the process.
Thanks. I find no matter how ready I think a piece of work is, if I take time away and come back, I always see things I didn’t see before and find ways to better refine and polish it. I’m on my second round of revisions for a first novel and an agent is awaiting my completion to read the full manuscript. As anxious as I am to get it out there, I know I’ll be better off not rushing the process and presenting the best work possible. Thanks again for a very timely post.
All excellent points. I’d add another time you should step back and cool off a bit: Before you start a new book. I know far too many people who jump on a book idea before it’s ready, then lose their steam partway through because they hadn’t spent enough time working it through. (I’m guilty of this myself!)
I took a break this weekend. I was finding it impossible to work (some life-issue stresses) and decided that I needed to step-back and not write for the long weekend. I did some sewing and knitting (which is sooooooooooo relaxing. I don’t even know why but it soothes my soul).
Hopefully today I can get back on track!
I couldn’t agree more on the feedback. I think we need that time to process what we read/heard about our writing. Otherwise it would be all too easy to resort to tempers flaring and self confidence issues. When we walk away and give ourselves time to process the feedback, usually we realize we can bank on that information and use it to improve. Far better than looking at in through a negative rose glasses. (Hugs)Indigo
nicely said – and i agree…even if my obsession hates the truth of it! i just finished what may be the final substantive edits on my newest book and i find i need to let my mind be quiet. but oh how it is hard for me! thanks for the encouragement :o)
How true. We need to know how to pace our lives as well as our fiction!