In a post on the DIY MFA blog, contributor JD suggests writer write a palate cleanser after completing a big project. “What do you do with yourself when you mentally can’t find the focus to start the next book just yet?” she asks. “What do you do while you wait, either for agents, publishers, or the good old public to get back to you on your blood, sweat & tears opus?”
Once we complete a major project that took months or years to complete, our brains need a well-deserved break. We might even hesitate before tackling another novel. However, waiting too long might result in the loss of your good writing habits and creative momentum. “A palate cleanser is the perfect antidote to that hangover, metaphorical or physical!” JD writes. “It’s the ideal project when you haven’t quite got your focus laser locked onto your next book yet.”
But what is a palate cleanser? Anything you choose, really. You might write a short story or two between novels, or a few poems. You might write a short novel in a completely different genre than you usually work in. “Whatever you think will help you flex your fatigued writing muscles, blow off the cobwebs, and most of all make it fun to write again,” JD says. “The key here is to keep it short and sweet. If the words flow, follow them, but if you find your plot tied up in a very short, short story, then be satisfied with that.”
