Getting Back Into a Writing Groove

Over the last few months, I lost my writing motivation. I blame the summer along with some difficult job changes. The truth is I just couldn't get back into writing, and when these things happen, sometimes it's hard for me to get back on track. 

To get into a better place, I have a usual starting point - reading back over previous work. I have a stack of notebooks I'll grab and read through a bunch of old stories that I've handwritten. They aren't perfect by any means - far from it actually - but it gets me back in touch with my writing self. 

Sometimes getting back into my writing routine usually means I go in two different directions - I write new stories or I go back to previously written work and start revising. The first part of this year I did such a great job with writing new stories so I knew I had to get back into revising.

And it wasn't easy. 

I used a lot of sheer discipline to get back into writing. Revising wasn't an easy process, but over time, it became easier for me to return to my writing groove.

If you have had a hard time getting back into writing, you aren't alone. My advice is to start small. Re-read old stories, trying doing something artsy that isn't related to your writing, and read book genres that are outside of your comfort zone. Start small as you start your writing process over, and make sure you keep to regular writing routines. All of this makes a difference and before you know it, writing is familiar again.