The modern writing community – mostly online – uses word count and pages written as the all but exclusive measure of productivity. But there’s more to writing than banging out pages. You have to write, but you also need to research, study, rest, and recharge. Those elements are also important parts of your writing practice.
Case in point: Eliza Jane Brazier, who says she wrote six novels one summer (!?), none of which were accepted by her agent. Discouraged, Brazier took a break from writing to figure out another process that worked better for her. In a post on DIY MFA, Brazier shares her experience offers suggestions for how to write without writing.
In Brazier’s case, she quit writing altogether for two years and took other jobs. While she doesn’t recommend that course for everyone, she does recommend some exercises that can help you become a better writer by not writing:
- Reconnect with your childhood self. “Think about what you wanted to be before you learned whether you could be or not,” Brazier advises. “What were your passions? What made you laugh? Is there a way you can meet an astronaut, explore a fire station, visit a zoo? If it makes you feel silly, it may be because it means more to you than you’re willing to accept.”
- Disconnect from your phone. “The truth is, the Internet is built on artificial reality and while it may inspire superficial ideas, it is unlikely to inspire anything meaningful enough to be worth your time,” Brazier writes. “I highly recommend giving yourself off days or large blocks of time where you plan to stay off the Internet.”
- Tackle a challenge that will take a long time to complete. “The idea is to teach yourself discipline and perseverance,” Brazier explains. “The people who finish are the ones who understand that there will be long periods where it feels like nothing is being achieved, like you are just making a mess and getting nowhere, and push through anyway.”
- Go method. “Take a day or even an hour, a hike in the woods, or a trip to the store in character,” Brazier writes. “While you are there, think through the character’s backstory and life up until ‘now.’ Imagine conversations between the character and friends or family that would not appear in any book, scenes without plot or conflict. Get to know your character as a person.”
- Read. “This one seems obvious, but it’s easy to forget,” Brazier adds. “Read, and do it in a variety of ways. Sometimes read for pleasure. Read the books that you want to read, not the books you think you should read or the ones in your genre. Other times, do the opposite. Read in a targeted way, focusing on popular books in your genre or field of interest, with an eye toward examining what they do well and how you can add to the conversation.”
