The fall season has an interesting rhythm for writing. On one hand, we writers often feel energetic and ambitious as we take on new challenges. On the other hand, as days get shorter and temperatures cool, our bodies often feel like we’re slowing into pre-winter hibernation mode. How can we navigate the writing rhythm of fall?
Energy Bursts and Slower Moments
When we take on a new writing project, sooner or later, we might feel stuck on a more ambitious chapter or article. This can happen at any time of year, but it feels especially challenging in the fall as we feel drawn to slow our pace.
Will that chapter ever get finished? Yes, it will. But possibly not today or even this week.
If you are navigating a larger, more complex chapter and feeling stuck, be assured you’re not alone. We all go through this. I want to share what helps me when I’m facing a chapter that’s not moving forward the way I’d like.
A Helpful Shift
If I feel bogged down in a bigger chapter, it doesn’t mean I won’t eventually finish that chapter. It just means I need to shift to something lighter for a while: a different, shorter, easier chapter, article, or section of my project.
This refresh helps restore momentum, energy, and enjoyment. It helps me fall in love with writing again. It’s what I recommend when you feel stuck on a bigger project.
You’re not dismissing the bigger project. You’re not even avoiding it. You’re just setting it aside to regain your writing rhythm. When you return to the bigger project, it’ll go a lot more smoothly.
How Smaller, Lighter Segments Help
When you set aside your bigger, more ambitious chapter for a lighter, shorter one, you’ll regain momentum at a realistic pace.
You will rediscover the joy of writing—and that will help you when you move back to that bigger chapter.
As you switch, you’re learning one of the keys to navigating a big project like a book: breaking it down into doable pieces. Doable with your energy, your schedule, and the season.
I used to work with a teacher who always gave our students the same advice when they had a big writing project. She’d say, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” The elephant is your overall project—your book, blog, or whatever your bigger project is. Each bite is what you work on in the moment. Some bites will be bigger than others. When you’re tired of chewing a large bite, switch to a smaller, easier bite.
When you try a shorter, lighter chapter, you will return to your bigger chapter refreshed and renewed. Your perspective will be lighter. You might find a different way through that chapter. You will also find ways to break that bigger chapter into smaller bites that are easier to chew.
Discover Your Fall Writing Rhythm
Fall has bursts of energy mixed with a sense of slowing down. Your writing can follow that rhythm. Consider shorter, lighter segments on slower days; switch to bigger segments on days when your schedule is clearer and you feel more energy. You can shift back and forth, just as the fall weather does.
Keep in mind too that your readers also have days when they want to read something longer and days when a short chapter or article is just what they need. They will appreciate your shorter chapters or articles as much as the longer ones. A mixture of lengths will keep them engaged with your book or blog.
Being willing to switch from working on a larger, more complicated chapter to a shorter one—and then back again—is a helpful strategy for your book or blog writing. Try it and see how it fits within your fall days and energy. Embracing a fall rhythm of writing will help you along your writing journey.
Janet Eriksson 