Summer Series: All The People

How to Keep a Writing Rhythm That Flexes With Other People's Plans & Your Priorities

We have exactly 15 days (including weekends) until we’re finished with school here in Georgia. (So, one of my kids has 4 in-school days and 4 at-home days left. The other one has 7 at-school days left. Yes, he gets out a day ahead of the younger one. Go figure.)

In that span of time, we’ve got no less than two parties, three sporting/drama/music events, a sleepover, a movie night, and — oh yeah — work.

To say the idea of figuring out a summer writing rhythm is overwhelming is like saying the Tower of Pisa is just a little crooked. Understatement of all understatements.

Still, I’d like to help you (and me) envision how we can craft a writing rhythm even with all the people who may be coming and going in your house or through your town during the next couple of months. Let’s get into it.

All the People

I like to start with something that’s less likely to change. You may not know when all your people are going to be around, but you’ll probably be able to estimate who will be around.

One of your kids has a gazillion buddies or plays in a band and the other one wants to travel to see old friends. You can count up the people and give yourself a wide-framed estimate of all the ones who will be either in your car, at your home, or for whom you’ll travel to visit.

I like to start with people for one reason: It reminds me that they’re most important. If we can’t flex our rhythms to reflect the ones who are most important to us, we can’t actually say they’re a priority, can we? I know, I know. Could be harsh to May ears who want gentleness and a slow guide through the crunchtime month that month number five has become.

However, think about it. If you were known for one thing when you get older, would you want it to be the words you leave behind and then the people you loved well? Or the other way around? I bet most of us would say the latter.

So, that’s why I start with the people. I think about them, what they want to do, what I will allow and set boundaries around (regarding my own time and sanity), and how much of my presence is important. (Let’s be honest: The band doesn’t care if I’m at their jam sesh.)

Go ahead. Count your people. Count your people’s people. Count people who are coming in from out of town and when they might be coming around. Count people you’re going to see out of town and when you might go see them.

Make a List

Now, if you’re still with me and aren’t thoroughly overwhelmed yet, get out an old-fashioned piece of paper. Go ahead. I’ll wait…

…

OK, here’s what you want to write on that paper.

Write down ways you want to be able to love those people. Choose three to five ways; I might say something like, “I want to love my people by going to a concert with them this summer, letting them invite a friend or two for a sleepover, and taking a trip.”

That’s three high-level ways I can support them in this season.

Will there be other opportunities? I’m certain of it. For this exercise, though, we only need a few.

Here’s why.

Once you have your people and the ways you want to love them well in this season, you can work out your writing rhythm around those best-of ways of loving them.

Let me explain: I already know when our trip is. It’s scheduled and set. I also already know that one of our kids loves sleepovers, which will probably involve my attention and driving for a Saturday or two. Finally, the concerts I want to attend with one of our people?

In our town, they’re always on the same night, so I know when not to plan my summer rhythms. Mostly, those days are Fridays and Saturdays.

Guess when I write the bulk of my content during the school year? Fridays.

So, I’m looking at a new rhythm for this season.

Seasonal Shifts

Now, you can take your paper and your people and shift the work you want to do around their needs (because your needs are important too).

So you might decide to choose one weekend afternoon, two half days during the week or three late-night workdays where you start after dinner and work until 10 p.m.

In our house, we have teens, so they’re generally excited to tell us all about their days at 3 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Guess what that means for my summer routines?

I need to choose at least a couple of mornings this summer to work on projects and goals.

We moved last summer, and we still have several household projects to complete, which will occupy a few more Saturdays; curtains and artwork don’t hang themselves, and interestingly, my office bookshelf does not look like the one pictured below. It’s a mess, and I want to reorganize it.

Above, this is not my bookshelf—it’s that of a friend who is much more organized than I am.

Again, that’s going to be a weekend, most likely.

I know then that my time reorganization will include a Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday or a Monday/Tuesday/Thursday morning rhythm this summer. My kids aren’t late sleepers, but they also don’t want to do much in the mornings, so I know I can knock out at least two hours on those days.

Of course, this doesn’t cut it when it comes to hired projects. I’m talking about personal writing goals that I have. So I already know that my client projects will be fit into the summer wherever they land. I’ll make them a priority when the deadlines get set.

Consider Your Landscape

Just as you want to consider your people, your preferred top three to five ways of loving them well this summer, and your personal writing goals, you also want to consider your landscape.

By this, I mean think about your overall season of life.

Maybe you’re an empty nester and you want to spend more time with your grandkids while they’re out of school. Prioritize that over the writing, I say.

Grandkids are only little once.

So, if that means you’re traveling to see them across state lines, you might take your journal or a laptop on the plane and do some writing there. You might want to keep it by your bedside to jot down some ideas while your grandkids are getting ready for bed at night. Think about small increments of time that you can use to move forward with your writing goals without losing sight of your landscape.

You might be like so many of my friends and family right now—sending kids off to college in the fall.

Absolutely, take as much time as you can with your senior to get him or her ready and to savor their presence. You can pick up writing goals that are high and lofty later. For now, fit in a few small, short writing times when you know your college freshman won’t be around.

Maybe she works certain hours this summer or has travel plans. Use those times to write, and leave the rest of the time free so that you can be available for last-minute adventures.

What are your priorities and goals this summer, and how should they change based on your people, your opportunities to show them love, your season and your landscape?

I’ll share a few photos of our previous summer (we moved), and some of the time we spent getting to know our new town. This summer, we’ll do a little bit of that, but I also have some finite goals set that are doable in this season.

Above, my husband and daughter like to decorate and organize spaces, which is such a blessing to me.

Remember, not all of your goals involve actual writing. It might be planning, getting organized, sifting through ideas, sending pitches, reading others’ works, or editing your own. Think about the breadth and width of writing; it will help you envision a new season full of opportunity.

Above, my son and I attend outdoor concerts as much as we can in the summer.