Coorlim’s Guide to NaNoWriMo 11: Balance

Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month.

Coorlim’s Guide to NaNoWriMo is a multi-part series on writing, creativity, and the work-life balance throughout the month of November. Today we’re talking about the work-life balance.

Balance is important

There’s more to writing than putting words on a page. While producing new works is the most important thing to improve your sales and to improve your skill, a writer can’t just hide in a cave and type away 24/7 and expect to succeed.

Especially on the tight NaNoWriMo deadline, writers have to take the time to recharge their creative engines. Schedule yourself the time to get away from the keyboard if you have to.

Inhale life. Exhale art.

That’s essentially how it works. Art reflects life, and to be able to convincingly write about the human condition, you have to go out and experience it. This ties in to “Write What You Know”, which I may write more on later.

Your brain also needs down-time, too cool off. And, speaking personally, a lot of my creative development happens when I’m not writing, when I’m going for a jog, or doing the dishes, or taking a shower. Your creative mind will always be toying with your ideas, so it’s important to give it that rest-time to develop your ideas.

So get your writing done to schedule, but make time to get out and have a life. Have other hobbies. Maintain your friendships. Don’t narrow your focus so tightly that you lose sight of the bigger picture.

It’s also vitally important to consume media as much as you produce it. Read what’s popular with your target audience, so you keep a firm handle on the conventions of the medium. And not just the classic stuff, the new stuff too. Art is life.

Next time we’ll be talking about the truths and myths of Writer’s Block.

Questions? You are invited to either leave a comment below, or ask directly through the comment form.

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