You're Not Lazy: Resting Between Projects

Congrats! You did the thing!

You finished your novel and sent it off to a critique partner, your agent, or your editor. 

Now what? 

For many authors, the time between projects can feel strange. You might feel unmoored, adrift, or--most insidious of all--lazy for not having an active project going... even if you were struggling with burnout during that last push of your deadline. Gotta love that nasty side-effect of toxic capitalism. 

It doesn't have to feel this way, though. With a few tweaks to the way you approach the time between projects, you can enjoy your rest and then show up to your next project feeling invigorated and ready to be creative.

Defining the Time Off

Part of what makes this period between books so discombobulating is that we don't know what to do with ourselves.

We rarely define exactly how much time we intend to take off or what we'll do with that time. 

This is especially tricky if you have a fairly consistent writing schedule or you write full-time. If writing normally takes up certain hours in your day/week, not having that time can leave an uncomfortable vacuum. 

Before you try to decide what to do during your break, it's useful to define how long that break will be. 

Are you taking a week to recharge? Two? A month? 

Will you wait until you get notes back before diving into writing? What if those notes don't come for several months? When will you bring writing back into your schedule? 

This is especially important if you're someone who genuinely feels better when you're working on a piece of fiction. Yes, time off is great, but knowing when you plan to come back is important, too.

So pick your date and put it in your calendar. And remember - you can ease your way back in. It doesn't have to be all or nothing!
 

Choosing How to Rest & Refill the Well

Now that you've defined your period of downtime between projects, it's time to decide what you'll actually DO with that time.  

If you tend to be someone who doesn't get much time for reading while you're in the throes of a project, swapping out your writing time each day for extra reading time is a great place to start. I'll often binge read a number of books between projects. I like surrounding myself with story when I'm not actively writing one. It helps me stay connected with fiction (and catch up on my TBR!). 

This is also a great time to tackle house or personal projects that have been put on the back burner. Organize your closet. Revamp your office. Deep clean the kitchen. If a cluttered space leaves you feeling anxious or distracted (this is true for me!), cleaning it out can make way for new creative ideas. 

As a bonus, you can listen to audiobooks while you tackle those house projects. Win win! 

(I recently listened to Taylor Hartley's debut novel, Song of the Hell Witch, while painting my office. It was SUCH a good time and made the hours of painting fly by!) 

This is also a great time to visit with friends.

Telling Productivity Culture to F*ck Off

Here's the thing. You will very probably feel weird taking time off. 

That's not your fault. 

That's productivity culture. That's toxic capitalism. That's all the socialization you've received that ties productivity with worth. 

Rest does not have to be earned. 

Rest is required to do your best work. 

Even knowing this intellectually, it will probably feel weird in your body. This is okay. Take a deep breath, remind yourself that it's okay to rest. It will get easier the more you practice.  

Something that helps me (and some of my clients, too!) is mentally telling yourself some version of: "I only feel uncomfortable because capitalism has taught me that productivity is where my worth comes from. I am human. I am not a machine. I am allowed to rest." 

Final Thoughts

However you decide to spend your time between projects, I hope you take a moment to celebrate yourself for completing a novel. It really is a big deal, whether it's your first, fifth, or fiftieth book. You are an official badass, and I'm so proud of you. 

Happy writing (and happy resting),
Isabel 

PS - I have 4 spaces for new private clients opening later this month. Get on the waitlist to be the first to know when spaces are available.

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