It’s February, which means it’s time for Writer Recharge!
Once again hosted by Alison Miller, Liz Parker, Elodie Nowodazkij Sara Biren, and myself, Writer Recharge is your chance for a four-week jump start in the middle of a cold, dreary winter. Set goals for yourself, check in once a week, and connect with other recharging writers. Find all the details HERE.
#WriterRecharge Update Two
- WRITE/REVISE – By the end of February I want to be done drafting my WiP, Stars Like Dust, and I’d like to have started addressing the revision to-do list I’ve made for it. –> Y’all, I suck. I did just about nothing over the last week. Real talk: I’m burnt out — on writing, on revising, on submissions. I’ve taken a step back from Twitter, and I’ve barely been reading. I need, like, a jolt of positivity. Can anyone relate? Anyway, as penance for my bellyaching, here are a few lines I recently rediscovered in my WiP, Stars Like Dust. I hardly remember writing this scene, but I like this bit a lot… His gaze slips to my mouth, again. It lingers. He licks his lower lip, absently I think, but God, I’d trade my Nikon to know what’s going on in his head. Because kiss me, kiss me, kiss me is bouncing around in mine and even though I know he won’t—can’t, damn it—I want him to think about it as compulsively, as fanatically, as I do. He’d be a good kisser, I’m certain. He’s aware and deliberate by nature, but gentle and thoughtful and passionate, too. Plus, his lips… They were designed for making out. He’d be a prodigy—a virtuoso of the kiss. (Obviously they kiss eventually, because this is a Katy Book!)
- READ/REREAD – I’d like to read at least four books this month, at least one non-contemporary, and at least one a non-YA. –> I’m still working on The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson. I’m about 200 pages in and, when I’m motivated enough to sit down and read (see above), I’m loving it. I’ve set a goal to finish it by the end of this week. Next: I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios.
- STRETCH – One of my Thirty Before 35 goals is to write something that’s not contemporary YA, so I hope to start brainstorming what that something might be. I have some vague ideas, but writing anything outside the realm of Real Life is a big stretch for me, which means this project is going to require a lot of musing. –> Still brainstorming…
- SELF – I’d like to pick up yoga again. I’ve been slacking over the last several months, and I hope to practice at least twice a week. –> Success! I practiced yoga three times last week. Hoping to do three or four session in the coming week.
CONNECT – Ooh, this one’s easy! I’m headed to West Virginia for a weekend-long writing retreat this Thursday. I’ve never done one, and some of my favorite writing buddies are coming!
- FUN – My daughter and I are going to start a quilt this month. Even if we only make it to the store to choose fabrics… it’s happening. –> My birthday is this week, and one of our plans for celebrating is to go fabric shopping — my favorite part of quilting. 🙂
Participating in Writer Recharge?
Head over to Sara’s blog to link your update post.
katyupperman.com 
Hand up! I relate! I think it is the winter blues. I just don’t WANT to do anything. I am forcing myself though, because blocking up is just not an option. Hope your week is productive!
Maybe you’re right about the winter blues. Now that I’m thinking about it, I remember feeling similarly this time last year. Glad I’m not alone! Have a great week, Kim!
Happy early birthday! I think fabric shopping and doing other non-writing/reading related stuff is what you need when you’re burnt out. I say just revise your goals to say you’ll get to it or you won’t 🙂 We’ve all been there and it’ll pass. Just do what makes you happy this week 🙂
Thanks, Jennifer! I’m really hoping to buckle down and get moving on my WiP this week. Though starting will be a hurdle, I think I *will* be happy once I do. Have a great week, lady!
Happy almost birthday, Katy! Thanks for being a part of my virtual life! I love reading your blog and can’t wait to read one of your books one day! 🙂 (Love this line, btw: “Plus, his lips… They were designed for making out. He’d be a prodigy—a virtuoso of the kiss.”) I’m currently taking a writing break (month 2 now)…and it feels great. I’m doing just pleasure reading and TV bingeing on Netflix. Maybe thats what you need if you’re a bit burnt out? 🙂 Just a thought. Have a great week!
P.S. Can’t WAAAAAIT for you to read I’LL MEET YOU THERE!!! Man it is SO good!
Thanks, Rachel! You are too sweet, and this comment totally made me smile. I have been doing a bit of Netflix binging while I do other stuff around the house. I’m into Gossip Girl’s fifth season now, and I’m still quite entertained by all the melodrama. And, I’m scheduling reading time for myself this week. No more slacking! Have a great week, lady!
Sorry to hear about the burnout, Katy. I hear you. I go through periods (more often than I care to admit) where I just can’t get interested in anything that I usually love to do. I have no good advice or answers, but I *am* thinking of you, hoping you’re feeling inspired again soon. I wouldn’t mind a ginormous jolt of positivity myself. Hope you have an awesome birthday and just an all-around awesome week. Have fun picking out fun fabrics with C! You’re making me want to pull out my half finished quilt. 😉
Thanks, Jaime! Knowing this burnout thing is something most of us go through definitely makes me feel better. Hoping to force myself to snap out of it this week. No more laziness! And now I’m curious about your half-finished quilt. You should totally pull it out! Have a great week, lady!
I can relate to those weeks where it’s hard to get motivated. It seems to happen to me a lot in winter! Hopefully after a break you’ll be able to come back to the writing afresh. 🙂
I do think winter is a contributing factor, though we’ve had pretty great weather lately (thanks, Florida!), so I’m not sure how much of my laziness I can blame on gray skies. 🙂 Have an awesome week, Emma!
Fabric shopping will be fun! Can’t wait to see the quilt as you work on it. I can totally relate to feeling burnt out. My day job is copywriter, and we have been slammed at work for weeks. After spending all day writing, the last thing I want to do is go home and write more. I’m struggling to even finish a book lately. Good for you for doing yoga! I keep saying I’m going to try it but I haven’t yet.
Hmm.. I don’t think I can edit my comment. That should say I’m struggling to even finishing *reading* a book lately.
Gotcha. 🙂 And you should definitely give yoga a try. I love it! I do the Jillian Michaels yoga DVDs because they’re more fast-paced. I still get the stretching and the pseudo-meditation, but I feel like I’m burning more calories. Best of luck with your reading and writing this week, Zanne!
I definitely can relate. I think I´ve mentioned during the retreat, I got suck on THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT. Luckily, Dahlia’s book brought me out of my reading slump. When it comes to writing, I am scared of finishing YOU ARE MINE. Like afraid that once I finish it, people will need to read it and what if it sucks? Yes, fun times. Lol. Oh that and I feel like a terrible dog mommy because Plato is testing his boundaries and I feel bad for not being as patient as I should be. Anyways.
I love love love this excerpt you posted and you did AMAZING on your yoga goal! What I found help sometimes (and the planner is quite practical for this) is writing every night 3 things I am grateful for: it can be anything, somebody’s smiling at me, or my husband hugging me or the dog finally stopping to bark lol. I think it’s supposed to help you look throughout the day and stop at the things that you’re grateful for. Okay and this is officially the longest comment ever. ❤
I am TOTALLY going to take your idea of writing down three things I’m thankful for each night, and you’re right — my new planner is perfect for it. I’ve done today’s and honestly, I feel more positive already. Also, you should NOT be worried about whether YOU ARE MINE is going to be good enough. Based on what you’ve shared, I think it’ll be aMaZiNg. But, I know what you mean about that fear of finishing. My first drafts are never even close to as good as the story in my head, and that’s discouraging. Luckily, we can revise. Have a great week, Elodie! ❤
First, I can COMPLETELY relate. My slumps seem to coincide with the weather and the winter doldrums are making it hard to do anything – especially with the kids having time off school. I have to continually remind myself that progress is progress – ANY amount – and that it’s okay if I skip a day or two or five to recharge. And the reading . . . I have at least two months a year where I fail to read much of anything. When that happens, I give myself a break, try not to beat myself up for it, and then choose something light and fun and something I just really want to read.
I’m so sorry you’re in a slump. We can do check-ins some days if you want. That often seems to help me too. 🙂
In other news, and on a more selfish note, can you please, please, please finish your WiP. That excerpt is AMAZING.
Hang in there!
It’s so annoying to be in a reading/writing slump, because those are the activities that usually make me feel very happy and zen. I have no idea what to do with myself these days. It’s nice to know I’m not alone in these stupid slumps, even though I hate that you can relate. And yes! I will finish ASAP. I bet we’ll finish our drafts around the same time again… Can’t wait to trade!
First: Dear, God I love that excerpt. Second, I feel you on the burnout. That was me the month of January. I think that’s just a part of writing. We’ve missed you on Twitter! Happy Birthday, lady 🙂
Yay! I’m glad you like the excerpt — thank you! ❤ I've missed you guys on Twitter too. I'm looking forward to rejoining the night-writing party. Hope you're having a great week, Liz!
Happy Birthday! And yay for yoga! I feel you on the slump, too. Whenever I’m up against a hard scene or section to write, I just come up with every excuse not to get it done.
YES. The challenges of this WiP are at least partly to blame for my slump. First, I didn’t know how to fix the mess I’d made. Then, when I’d figured out a solutions, it felt very daunting. I’ve finally jumped in feet-first, and things are going better. Thanks for commiserating, Laurie, and have a great week!
Ugh. Burnout. So sorry you’re there right now, Katy. I was there in Nov/Dec and am finally pulling myself out of it. I think the best thing to do is just do whatever makes you happy until you feel like getting back to it. And don’t let yourself feel guilty for it. The happy writing feelings will come back! Also, I love that excerpt. So swoony. Good luck this week.
Susan, I’m so glad you managed to ditch the burnout. That’s super encouraging. I finally forced myself to jump back into my WiP, and I’m happy I did. I feel better knowing that I’m making progress, even though it’s slooow progress. And thank you for your excerpt love! ❤
Sorry to hear about your burnout blues, Katy… it happens to the best of us. Here’s a little something to cheer you up: The actual temperature at the bus stop this morning was -9. With wind chills factored in, -30.
I hope that you love I’LL MEET YOU THERE as much as I did. ❤ Swoon. Hang in there and have a wonderful birthday! And yeah, that excerpt? That's good stuff.
I’m only 40-ish pages into I’LL MEET YOU THERE, and I’m loving it so far. I can already tell that it’s going to make my heart hurt, but (as you know) I love that sort of torture. And yes, your excruciatingly cold temperatures are a silver-lining to my slump. Though, I’m worried about you freezing! Stay bundled up, Sara!