writing a book

The Author Journey: Combating Headwinds

A few months ago, I resolved to finally get cracking on a book idea that had been floating around in my head for some time now. To correspond with this goal, I also decided to launch a monthly blog series taking you through the ups and downs of preparing a manuscript. Well, this particular entry will be focusing on the latter.

While work has continued forward overall, I’ve certainly been slacking. What’s more, many of these admissions may seem familiar as they were issues I’ve been aware of and faced in the past. Nevertheless, it’s time to tackle them once again and find a way past them. With that, here are some of the headwinds I’ve been dealing with these past few weeks and how I intend to right my course.

Three Things I’m Doing to Get My Book Back on Track

napping on a couch

Getting busy (and being lazy)

During the pandemic, my wife and I have both been fortunate enough to continue working (since we both work at home). That’s an undeniably great thing overall, but it has made it more difficult to focus on my manuscript. Although I had previously made adjustments to my schedule — including getting up earlier and trying to stay ahead — lately, things just seem to be busier. Thus, I haven’t always been able to dedicate the time I intended to.

Truth be told, I’ve also been slipping on my goal to get up earlier. I’ve noticed my standard alarm clock timer sneaking further and further back in recent weeks, most recently landing at 8:17 (all of my alarms end in ‘7’ for some reason). So, part of the prescription is easy: get back to getting up early. In fact, I think I’ll mix things up even more by getting up early, starting my day with some yoga, and then spending time on my book before jumping into my other work. Yes, talk is cheap, but I think this updated agenda is doable and will be fruitful.

The rough rough draft

Remember when I said that one of my goals was going to be allowing myself to write imperfectly and just fix it later? That was fine at first, but has proven to be more of a challenge as I’ve progressed. No matter how hard I try, I still end up feeling frustrated when I can’t find the words to express what I want to say or tell the story the way I want to. While I’ve been able to work past these stumbling blocks in many cases, admittedly, there have been other instances where they stop me dead in my tracks. Luckily, I have been able to hop around to other parts of the project when this happens, but it’s still been a problem nonetheless.

The solution? Sadly, I don’t quite have one yet. I suppose I just need to suck it up and keep trying. Additionally, I’m thinking it may be time to do a few editing days so I can start to feel better about what I’ve already written and, in turn, be more motivated to continue.

desert road with mountains on the horizon

Change of scenery

Something I knew would be a challenge before getting started with this manuscript was the fact that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy some of my favorite writing venues, such as Starbucks. Sure, I’ve tried to mix things up a bit by moving my writing to the living room and working on my iPad instead of my computer… but it’s just not the same. You’d think that creating a routine would be more powerful than sitting in a coffee shop but, alas, I really do miss getting out of my apartment and working somewhere else every so often.

Luckily, I may have a fix here. This weekend, my wife and I will be taking a road trip to Las Vegas and staying there for a few days. Contrary to what I assume most people do in Sin City, we actually plan on spending the vast majority of the time in our rooms working (we actually chose Vegas not for the gambling or drinking but because rooms are cheap at the moment and we’ve heard it’s pretty empty). Perhaps I’m naive but I’m really thinking that this change of scenery can help kickstart my creativity. If nothing else, hopefully the break from our redundant lives will allow me to return home with more inspiration to implement my latest routine revisions.

For all the things I’ve done wrong so far when it comes to this project, there is something I did very right — and you’re reading it. If it weren’t for this series, it’s quite possible that these headwinds would get the best of me and, to continue with a metaphor, send my unfinished manuscript away with the wind. Instead, penning these updates forces me to face my failures and set a new course. That’s something I’m actually very thankful for as I do really want to write this book (even if it might not feel like it on some days). So, thanks for reading and helping me stay on task!

Author

Kyle Burbank

Kyle is a freelance writer and author whose first book, "The E-Ticket Life" is now available on Amazon. In addition to his weekly "Money at 30" column on Dyer News, he is also the editorial director and a writer for the Disney fan site LaughingPlace.com and the founder of Money@30.com.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

Pair of Allbirds Mizzle Runner-Ups

Allbirds Offering 30% Off Sale Ahead of Spring (Rainy) Season

One of my favorite shoe brands is having a sale. Currently, Allbirds is offering 30% off on a number of their shoes, including their water-resistant models. By using the code SPRING30 at check out, you can save 30% on "select styles" of shoes. Thankfully, "select styles" include both the Wool...
Halfday Garment next to Moderne Gentlemen Travel Duffle

Travel Tuesday: Moderne Gentleman vs. Halfday - Comparing the Garment Duffles

Last week, I shared a look at the Moderne Gentleman Travel Duffle. As you may have noticed, that bag bears some resemblance to the Halfday Garment Duffle, which I previously reviewed. Given that natural comparison, I figured that a deeper dive into the matter was warranted. Fair warning: while these...
illustration of coffee making devices

Fellow Drops Make it Dangerously Easy to Order Specialty Coffee

If you've read this site for any length of time, then I believe you're well aware of my affinity for coffee. This fandom recently saw me "investing" in a new set-up featuring items from Fellow. Well, after purchasing my grinder from them, I also decided to opt into their Fellow...

With writing, there’s just more productive days and lazy days. Just write, write , write on your productive days and take a rest on your lazy days to recharge your creativity.

Leave a Reply

The "Email" field is empty, you must enter some text to proceed.The text you entered in the "Email" field appears to be invalid, please edit it and try again
Get Posts in Your Inbox
Featured Articles
Pair of Allbirds Mizzle Runner-Ups

Allbirds Offering 30% Off Sale Ahead of Spring (Rainy) Season

One of my favorite shoe brands is having a sale. Currently, Allbirds is offering 30% off on a number of their shoes, including their water-resistant models. By using the code SPRING30 at check out, you can save 30% on "select styles" of shoes. Thankfully, "select styles" include both the Wool...
Halfday Garment next to Moderne Gentlemen Travel Duffle

Travel Tuesday: Moderne Gentleman vs. Halfday - Comparing the Garment Duffles

Last week, I shared a look at the Moderne Gentleman Travel Duffle. As you may have noticed, that bag bears some resemblance to the Halfday Garment Duffle, which I previously reviewed. Given that natural comparison, I figured that a deeper dive into the matter was warranted. Fair warning: while these...
illustration of coffee making devices

Fellow Drops Make it Dangerously Easy to Order Specialty Coffee

If you've read this site for any length of time, then I believe you're well aware of my affinity for coffee. This fandom recently saw me "investing" in a new set-up featuring items from Fellow. Well, after purchasing my grinder from them, I also decided to opt into their Fellow...
collage of Discover It Q2 2024 bonus categories

Here's What Discover It Customers Can Earn 5% Back on in Q2

It's March 1st, and you know what that means: time for Discover to announce its second quarter bonus categories! Oh, that wasn't what you were thinking? Well, then. Regardless, continuing a tradition they began last year (prior to that, they'd just announced the full quarterly calendar before the new year),...