Contributed by Gail L. Fontana
I have been writing for most of my life but didn’t get serious until my own “personal 9/11” at the end of 2019, when my older sister passed away.
Tough as that was, it jolted me to action. I heard the clock ticking, loud and clear, and said, “If not now, when?”
Since then, I’ve “finished” three middle-grade novel manuscripts (more on the air quotes in a moment), three chapter-book manuscripts, a half a dozen or more picture books, and many short stories. I say “finished” because are we ever? There’s always something that could stand a little more elbow grease, right? I have, however, queried most of these projects and heard only crickets. I’ve also had many of them developmentally edited by professional editors who gave me glowing reviews. Whom do I believe? I guess I should believe the agents because they’re the ones who aren’t responding with cartwheels and contracts.
Anyway, that’s a subject for another day—or for a therapist.
I divulge these secrets because I want you to know I didn’t just fall off the proverbial turnip truck.
I write. A lot. I finish projects. I keep going.
Sometimes…I’m tired.
Which brings me to the idea of seasons.
Just like there are four seasons in a year, there are seasons in a writer’s year. Maybe four, maybe more, maybe less.
For me, one of those seasons is represented by hurried activity. A get-it-done mentality. Don’t mess around on social media. Write, write, write. No distractions. Take no prisoners.
Another season is spent editing, tweaking, touching up existing manuscripts. This is a slower process—for me.
Another season is spent planning my non-writing life. Trips, visits to and from family, hosting neighbors, always at the grocery store, always in the kitchen. It seems to last forever but is often a short season that returns every few months.
Sometimes, I just want to sit and watch Gilmore Girls reruns.
Take a look at your life. Are there times when you’re not writing and feeling guilty about it? Give yourself permission to relax and enjoy that time. We can’t be our best at anything if we don’t take a break. Not a good parent, not a good partner, student, employee or writer.
You don’t need to force these breaks upon yourself. You’ll feel one coming on. Lean into it. For a week or two.
This is not a get-out-of-jail-free card, though. Make a promise to yourself not to let this season become all-consuming. And we have to keep our promises to ourselves, right? Otherwise, we let the Dark in, and it’s just not pretty.
We have to let our fields lay fallow. But we don’t neglect them forever after.
When you feel refreshed, it’s time to get off the couch and lean into another season, a more productive one.
As English street artist and activist Banksy said, “If you get tired, learn to rest, not quit.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gail L. Fontana is a children’s writer, living in Rio del Mar, California. She blogs at www.gaillfontana.com
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