A bheil Gàdhlig agaibh? (Do you speak Scottish Gaelic?)
I don’t imagine I’ll even be able to honestly answer, “Tha, beagan” (yes, a little), though when this post goes live, I will have just returned from two weeks across the Pond, where my son will have been married on the shores of Loch Earn, north of Glasgow.
The title of this post means, “Long time no see,” and it will certainly feel that way. And I know it will take quite a while before I feel like I’m back in the swing of things again.
What will keep me from writing?
Since I won’t technically be returning to my office until September 21, I should be pretty much over the jet lag, but it could still play a factor.
My inboxes will be filled to overflowing, I’m sure.
I have some people I need to catch up with before the snow flies, which hopefully won’t be anytime soon.
I have a major editing project that I put on hold while I was away and at least one other project scheduled to begin shortly after my return.
I realize those are fairly good reasons for not writing, but after all, I am a writer and must make time to write.
What will get me writing again?
I’m taking a notebook with me on the plane. My plan is to read, write, and sleep on the flights. Time will tell, but hopefully I’ll come home with lots of fodder for future fiction and nonfiction projects.
Although I worked ahead, writing several devotionals for HopeStreamRadio before I left, I have to get back at it. Theoretically, that will keep me writing Monday through Friday each week.
I also wrote a number of guest posts before I headed across the Pond, but I will have to add these to my writing schedule in the near future. It isn’t always easy sticking with my personal blogging schedule, but I rarely have trouble when putting together something for someone else.
I am contemplating beginning a newsletter. I would also want to prepare “bonus materials” subscribers could choose from, so that would keep me busy writing.
I’m fairly sure I will have taken hundreds, if not thousands, of pictures while I was away. As a visual learner, I ascribe to the old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words.” I’m sure my photos will inspire many poems and other works. (Plus, I’ll be able to share them with visitors to my blog and my website to, once again, touch base with everyone.)
One of these years I will likely sign up for NaNoWriMo, but I can’t see that happening this year, but you never know.
More likely, I will sign up for OctPoWriMo (October Poetry Writing Month) and PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month). I’ve participated in both of these for the past few years and really enjoyed it.
Well, there you have it. How about you? What gets you writing after a significant time away from your desk?
The photo is of the Isle of Skye, where we spent three days. I downloaded it from pixabay.com before I left, but, Lord willing, I will have many of my own pictures to share over the weeks and months to come.
Steph Beth Nickel is the coauthor of Paralympian Deborah L. Willows’ memoir, Living Beyond My Circumstances, published by Castle Quay Books. To their delight, LBMC won in the Life Stories category of The Word Awards 2015. Among other things, Steph is a freelance writer and editor. You can connect with her at stephbethnickel@gmail.com … on her Facebook author page … or on Twitter (Photo Credit: Stephen Woo)
Hi Steph, hope you are back in the saddle again! It sounds like you had lots to inspire you while away. What beautiful photography!
Pam