21 Ways to Fire Up Your Writing this Winter

At times, when it's dark outside and I'm chilled and starved for a spark of something to light me up, I feel like a vampire desiring the warm neck of a lovely man or woman. Yet, of course I'm not a vampire and think that would be a sorry way to live, wandering the dreary streets all night looking for my next victim to keep me alive. To have to rely on others for my lifeblood--literally--is no life for me. In Ann Rice's Interview with the Vampire she writes, “The only power that exists is inside ourselves.” I do believe that's true. Although warm slippers and a hand-knit toque also help to not dampen our spirits and to support our power and inner flame over the cold winter months. This year I was especially fearful of the coming dark. Not like a child worried about what lurked under my bed, but more as an adult shuddering at the thought I'd feel gloomy, bummed out, and not have the energy or juice for creative work, and for those loved ones who counted on me. Last winter I lived in a rainforest surrounded by Western red cedars and five-foot high ferns, and it felt like I might grow gills or reptilian frog-like skin. I watched the ducks sliding around on the lawn and secretly hated them for liking the rain and cold. Because I cherish and am thankful for you, dear reader, I promise never to bite your neck or steal your cozy slippers. Not only that, I made up a list of things you might try when the dark winter days feel like they'll drag on FOREVER and always, and you feel like you just can't bring yourself to write or do much of anything. 21 WAYS TO FIRE UP YOUR WRITING (OR OTHER CREATIVE WORK) THIS WINTER 1) Wake up and do something right away that connects you to your creativity. This might be meditation, exercise, drinking a warm, invigorating tea or coffee, or it might be sitting down to write for 15 minutes. This one thing you do will kick off the day in a good way! 2) Bring lights into your space that inspire you such as a cool lantern or a string of lights that you put in a vase to light up a room. This year I got serious about lighting and bought a S.A.D lamp which I use every morning for 30 minutes while writing. Although, thankfully I don't suffer from it, Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real mood disorder that can make people feel depressed in the winter, and is thought to relate to a lack of serotonin or melatonin. 3) Another option is to take advantage of the darkness by creating a nest for yourself with furry throws, candles, pens and a new writing notebook that inspires you. Hunker down! Buy some new teas or make some nourishing soups so you have them when you get down to writing. Use this time to go inward and get in touch with what it is you actually want to write or create. 4) Use the Five Minute Journal to pull you out of the doldrums and get you energized. I have friends who refer to this journal as a 'lifesaver.' Tim Ferris of the Four Hour Body says,“The Five Minute Journal is one of the simplest ways that I have found to consistently ensure improving my well being and happiness. Both in terms of achievement and actual measurable, quantifiable results.” The daily journal combines writing the following: Daily affirmations, something you're grateful for, and how to make the day great. Five minutes per day could be the push you need toward that writing project filed away in the drawer. 5) I’ve practiced different meditation techniques throughout the years and have settled (for now) on Vipassanā or Insight Meditation, which is based on the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. Not only is meditation good for self-reflectiveness and mental well-being, it also helps to develop compassion for others. When we meditate we can begin to experience life more directly and to witness our own story unfolding. We become more forgiving and grateful of others, and of our own circumstances. When you meditate, even for 10 minutes, it helps to clear your head in preparation for writing. If you're interested in combining meditation with a daily writing practice, then take a peek at my 21 Day Writing Meditation course on DailyOm. Their sliding scale payment system makes it reasonable to try out. 6) Start or end each day with envisioning exercises or mantras. Doing this can help you to create a space to envision what creative project you'd like to take on this winter. The dreams you're weaving in your head become more concrete as you experience aspects of them through visualization or through words from the mantra you create or select. This is a great way to get back on track, away from dark thoughts, and to bring those feelings of inadequacy to the surface to be dealt with once and for all. 7) Gather low-hanging fruit. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you look at a big creative task in front of you. Where do you start? How will you finish? Gathering low-hanging fruit simply means that you tackle smaller things that you’re able to complete first before moving to something bigger. Doing these smaller things first will give you the satisfaction of accomplishing something, and also give you more energy and confidence to tackle the bigger stuff. I try to have at least two small tasks on my list that I can check off right away before sinking my teeth into a longer project. 8) Exercise increases our energy and that stretches the time we have to write. Cool, eh?! It gives us more get up and go to fit in those creative to-dos that we’re always trying to find time for, but that constantly get pushed aside. Sometimes when I have writer’s block and I don’t know what to write about or how to move forward with my writing, I’ll bounce on a trampoline or go for a run around the block, skip for five minutes or do some yoga. Moving my body, getting out of my head, and releasing endorphins, really helps me to write. The body craves movement and wants to be part of the creative process. 9) Take up a new creative hobby. I recently bought a ukulele and am excited to be learning some tunes. I find it helps me write better when I have another creative outlet that's not in the least like writing. 10) Eat chocolate. The good stuff. When working on a longer writing project, I give myself a few pieces as a reward. It also perks me up enough to push through and get my work done. 11) Carve out movie nights. You could watch an old black and white movie like Philadelphia Story or old slapstick films with physical comics like Charlie Chaplin or Harold Lloyd. Or, a vampire comedy that's the epitome of silliness (that I've watched on my worst days). Laughter is the best medicine during cold, blustery evenings, and could give you some ideas for your writing. 12) Poetry is often seen as a highbrow art, which is a shame because it's one of the best written forms for self-reflection and idea-making. It can equip you with an emotional map for how to piece together life's disjointedness. I often turn to American poet Mary Oliver when I'm having trouble navigating the road in front of me. To make accessing poetry even easier, the Poetry Foundation has a free app that allows you to search poetry by emotion (i.e., lovesick, jubilance, fear), which is pretty cool. And uber-talented spoken word poet Sarah Kay is definitely worth checking out, especially her If I should have a daughter that's received almost five million views on YouTube. 13) I get irritable when several days go by and I haven't given myself even a few minutes to write. And if you can relate to this in any way, then I suggest carving out a time each week (preferably at the same time) to write--your memoir, novel, blog or web copy. Set it as an alert on your phone so you make it a priority. You wouldn’t forget to pick your kids up for school or take that chocolate cake out of the oven.... Treat this date with yourself as important as other commitments in your life. At first it may seem strange that you’re setting aside this time because in actual fact you may have no idea what you’re even going to write about because it's been so long since you've given yourself that time. Try 15 minutes to start, either early in the morning before others wake up, or late at night when your home is quiet. Writing in a cafe works too! 14) Do some volunteer work. Giving to others in this way can release feel-good hormones like serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins, and dopamine. Also, the people you meet may just give you some ideas for characters or stories. 15) I talked in #13 about carving out a set time to write. Well, one step closer to your goal of finishing a creative project and feeling better about life in general would be to create a work plan that maps out when you'll work on your project and when you plan to finish. Obviously these are working plans that you’ll need to update, but actually having one and putting it on your wall or in your day timer for you to be reminded of is key. Break down your goals into bite-size pieces (or action items) so that you can see the progress you’re making and not feel so overwhelmed. 16) Take random strolls in the woods or city streets. When I'm in the thick of my work and am hunched over my keyboard for what seems like an eternity, that's when I force myself to get outside. Movement is vital to keeping the flow of creativity, yet it's also good for grounding yourself. When you do this you'll come back to your work with more vigour and intention. 17) Be inspired by the work of other creative people, whether it’s going to an art gallery or reading an amazing book or seeing a great movie. This will help to keep your eye on the creative ball—stay, stay, stay(ing) alive like that 80s disco song. 18) Own your talents. When you want to share your passion with the world it’s important to be aware of your gifts and to accept them as yours. I’ve spent a long time undermining my gifts. Imposter syndrome is a name for a person who doesn’t believe that they in fact possess the accomplishments they possess, and are afraid of being exposed as a "fraud.” Even very successful people can experience Imposter Syndrome. Actress Meryl Streep, for example, says that each time she goes to do a new film she gets cold feet and wonders why she’s acting because she doesn’t know how to do it. Other women suffer from this syndrome such as Sheryl Sandberg and Tiny Fey. Even when you’re a professional and are clearly an expert in your field, you don’t always feel like you are. I think it’s important to remind ourselves that we are experts in what we do, that we have these beautiful gifts, and we’d like to share them with the world. 19) Practice gratitude in small or large doses as it helps to refocus on what you have rather than what’s missing. Even in the dead of winter, try to find something to appreciate every day to make space for creative thoughts and actions. 20) Sit down and write. I initially came across the expression “first thoughts” in Nathalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones, Freeing the Writer Within. In her book, she counsels to keep writing even when you feel like stopping to read what you’ve written. Allow the pen to continue across the page and don’t cross out anything. Goldberg’s “first thoughts” or what other writers might refer to as “free writing,” helps you trust yourself and open to the creative process. It allows you free reign to write and not worry about what you are writing. Exercise: Pick up your pen and begin to write down the first thought that comes to you. Keep writing, staying with that first thought, and not looking back to judge whether what you wrote was good or bad. Enjoy the flow of the thoughts that are coming to you and just write them down. Try to stay with this burst of thought for as long as it carries you. It might last five minutes or it might only last 60 seconds. Once you feel that the first thought is complete, put the pen down. 21) Be radical and celebrate Thursday, December 21 (in the Northern Hemispere), the first day of winter and the darkest day of the year. You can go here to look up where it is in your area. Mother Earth Living suggests using this time to feed our spirits: "For people throughout the ages—from the ancient Egyptians and Celts to the Hopi—midwinter has been a significant time of ritual, reflection, and renewal. Creating a meaningful celebration of winter solstice, either in place of or in addition to other holiday activities, can help us cultivate a deeper connection to nature and family and all the things that matter most to us." Take time out on this day to write down your thoughts about the year that's almost past. What was it like for you? What were some wins? What was challenging for you? A ritual that I've done for years is to write down some ideas, emotions or stories that I want to let go of, and then I burn them in the fire. This is a nice way to clear the path for new stories in the year ahead. Last spring I decided to plant gogi berry from seed. For weeks I watered that little guy and I all but gave up. Until one morning when I saw a little green leaf poking out of the earth like a small hand. I watered and cared for that plant, sometimes bringing it inside if it was too cool at night, and checking the composition of the soil to make sure it had the right nutrients to grow. It’s still only a few inches tall though the stem is sturdy so I think it will survive the coming winter. Obviously gardeners and farmers must be very patient, have faith and optimism that the care they’re putting to water their gardens and fields and tend to the soil will pay off. The same is true for writing or for any creative endeavor. I hope you'll test out some of these small steps to fire up your writing or creative practice, and to see each dreary, cold day as an opportunity to dip into your creative well and be astonished at what gems you uncover. Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

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