From Edie: Feeling overwhelmed as fall approaches? Discover practical and faith-filled ways writers can reset their writing life, refocus on God's calling, and prepare for a productive season ahead.
How Writers Can Reset Their Writing Life Before the Busy Fall Season
by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
If you’re anything like me, July doesn’t feel like the middle of a relaxing summer anymore. When I was a kid, I felt like summer had stretched on forever and back to school was still weeks away. I don’t know if the rhythm of life was different back then or my memories have been fuzzy over the years. I suspect it’s a combination of both.
Either way, July looks and feels very different now. Back-to-school aisles populate every store. Even more ridiculous is the amount of Halloween displays are already up. I feel like the summer I had to breathe and get ready for the busy fall season has evaporated. Now I’m stressed, rushed, and resentful. Not really a good combination.
Instead of enjoying what's left of summer, I find myself feeling rushed, stressed, and even a little resentful that another busy season seems to be racing toward me.
But this year, I've decided to do something different.
Rather than letting the calendar dictate my emotions, I'm choosing to use this season as a reset—not to cram more into my schedule, but to prepare my heart, my mind, and my writing life for whatever God has planned next.
If you've been feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, or simply stuck, maybe it's time for your own reset.
Here are some things that work for me when I do a mid-year writing reset.
Stop Letting the Calendar Define Your Success
It's easy to believe we should have accomplished more by now. We should have finished the manuscript. We should have launched the newsletter. We should have grown our platform. We should have written every day.
Without realizing it, the calendar becomes our measuring stick. But God has never measured our faithfulness by word count, publication dates, or social media statistics. Sometimes His greatest work in us isn't producing more, it’s teaching us patience or even pruning distrations.
A mid-year reset gives us permission to stop dwelling on what didn't happen and begin asking what God wants us to do next.
Return to Our Calling
One of the dangers of a busy writing life is that we slowly drift from our calling. Deadlines replace delight. Marketing replaces ministry. We loose connection with God’s voice as we’re chasing results.
So before I made another to-do list, I spent some quiet time asking God what HE has called me to write in this place and time. I didn’t ask for a road map for the next few years or even after the next few months. I wanted to focus on what God has for me at this moment.
I’m getting some surprising answers. Here are some you might find when you ask God this question. You may find:
- He's asking you to finish something you've been avoiding.
- He's giving you permission to let go of something you've been carrying.
- He's simply reminding you that faithfulness is more important than speed.
Clear Away the Clutter
I don't know about you, but clutter drains my creativity. Sometimes it's the pile of papers on my desk. Sometimes it's the hundreds of files on my computer that all seem to have names like "Final Draft—Really Final." Sometimes it's the growing list of ideas I've collected but haven't acted on.
A mid-year reset is a wonderful time to clear away what's no longer serving us. Here are some steps to take that have helped me:
- Organize my workspace.
- Delete duplicate files.
- File conference notes.
- Archive completed projects.
- Unsubscribe from newsletters I never read.
I’m not trying to create a picture-perfect office. I just need room to think and process. And clearing physical clutter helps clear mental clutter as well.
Finish One Small Thing
When we're overwhelmed, we tend to focus on everything that's unfinished.
- My latest proposal.
- My newsletter upgrades.
- My marketing plan.
- My website.
Instead of staring at the mountain of to dos, I pick one small hill.
I finish a blog post I’ve got outlined. I send the article that's been sitting in my drafts. Here are some other things to tackle:
- Write one newsletter.
- Revise one chapter.
- Record one video.
Small victories build momentum. Momentum builds confidence. Confidence reminds us that progress is still possible. Never underestimate what God can do through one faithful next step.
Evaluate What's Actually Working
Mid-year is a wonderful time to ask some honest questions and take inventory of where I am. I want to know:
- What writing habits are working?
- Which commitments consistently leave me exhausted?
- What marketing efforts are producing meaningful results?
- What am I continuing simply because I've always done it that way?
I’m slowly learning (and re-learning) that not every opportunity deserves a permanent place in my schedule. So ofen, saying yes to too many good things keeps us from doing the best things. As writers, it's easy to collect responsibilities. Wisdom comes from learning which ones God is asking us to keep.
Refill the Creative Well
One of the quickest paths to burnout is constantly producing without taking time to receive. Creativity needs fuel—and the best fuel comes with Soul Care. I have learned to encorporate time for creative recovery. Here are some things I’ve made room for in my life:
- Reading a novel simply because it sounds enjoyable.
- Visiting an art museum.
- Taking my camera on a walk.
- Sitting on my screened porch with your Bible and a journal.
- Listening to music.
- Watching the sunrise.
- Noticing God's fingerprints in creation.
Jesus often stepped away from the crowds. He understood something we often forget. We can't continually pour out if we've never taken time to be filled. Those soul care moments aren't wasted. They're preparation.
Prepare for Fall Without Living There Yet
If you're a writer like me, fall is one of your busiest seasons. I have conferences scheduled, projects to finish before the end of the year, and a plethora of family commitments.
I’ve learned I need to prepare for this upcoming season—not begin living there—just taking time to review what’s ahead. This is also when I look at my upcoming calendar and begin now to block out time to create. For me, preparation creates peace while worry steals it.
Give Yourself Permission to Rest
This may be the hardest reset of all for me. I’m a list maker and I LOVE to check things off that list. It’s hard to do that when I’m resting! Somewhere along the way, I began believing rest has to be earned. As if we can only slow down after every email is answered, every manuscript is edited, and every project is finished.
The problem with that mindset is it’s impossible. That day never comes if we’re trying to earn it.
But God’s word paints a different picture. Rest isn't the reward for faithfulness. It's part of faithfulness. Jesus regularly withdrew to spend time alone with His Father. If our Savior wasn't in a constant hurry, perhaps we don't have to be either. Here are some of the benefits we can find when we incorporate rest into our lives:
- A rested writer hears God's voice more clearly.
- A rested writer notices beauty others miss.
- A rested writer creates from abundance instead of exhaustion.
Begin Again
One of my favorite truths about following Christ is that He specializes in new beginnings. Lamentations 3:22 – 23 reminds us God’s mercies are new every morning.
That means we don't have to wait until January to start over. Or even wait for a Monday, or after vacation—or when life settles down. We can begin again today.
Maybe this year hasn't unfolded the way you expected. It could be you've missed deadlines, abandoned routines, or watched your writing goals drift further away than you imagined.
None of that changes God's faithfulness. He isn't asking us to catch up. He's inviting us to take the next faithful step. So, instead of allowing the coming fall season to rush us through what's left of summer, consider joining me in this mid-year reset.
Take a deep breath.
Spend unhurried time with the Lord.
Reconnect with your calling.
Clear away what no longer belongs.
Protect your creativity.
Rest without guilt.
Then, when the busy season arrives, you'll walk into it with purpose instead of panic—and with peace instead of pressure. And that's a far better way to write.
Now it’s your turn. What's one thing you need to reset in your writing life before the busy fall season begins? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie
TWEETABLE
She and husband Kirk have been married 44+ years with three grown sons and four grandchildren. They live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and can often be found with their big black dog hiking the mountains. Connect with her at www.EdieMelson.com and through social media.
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