How to Switch Gears in Writing

Happy Valentine’s Day from the Ha Giang loop!

Because everything can be a metaphor, bear with me for a moment while I compare motorbiking to writing. Going up and down these steep hills and defying physics with the winding roads right over sheer cliff faces really inspires some introspection on travel.

We all know we have to go on a journey, but we don’t keep the same speed, tools, or gears the same all the way. We adjust for elevation, humidity, exhaustion, or something shiny that catches our eye.

Once I realized that frustration, lack of motivation or inspiration, and self-doubt were all indicators that I needed to switch something up in my writing life, I became addicted to changing gears. When you feel how much smoother the ride gets, switching gears becomes a more valuable habit than pushing on at all costs.

What might happen in your current project if you looked for a change instead of trying to make progress no matter what?

Here are some current shifts in my projects that I’ve been thinking about lately:

remembering teen readers over publishing professionals

I get lost in the sauce of the publishing industry all the time. As a working editor and someone who meets and interviews other writers, editors, and agents, you can learn so much about this industry until it seeps its way into your work and the way you evaluate your own writing. One of my favorite gear shifts from this week came from the realization that I need to bring my focus back to my readers for this YA manuscript in progress. I remember what it was like as a teen picking up an adventure book that grabs you from page one and offers imagination and escape. That shift in audience from industry to reader has made me feel much more clarity in the revision process, as well as motivation to finish.

write one true sentence every day

This Hemingway quote found its way to me from a friend on the road while we were talking about journaling. I started a new physical journal for this trip, even though I can’t typically keep up with one. As primarily a speculative fiction writer, nonfiction or memoir is the most difficult genre for me to write. I prefer imagination as a path towards the truth. Taking the most direct route is difficult and scary, but a sentence is a small unit of truth. I can do that! Now I write about a page every day but with the goal of approaching at least one true sentence.

short story to novel

This little idea I had for a silly little short story (enemies to lovers, as always) might actually be a novel. Is it weird that a shift like that gave me a massive amount of relief? Time and again I feel like writing tells me that things can’t be measured in length or difficulty, only in inspiration. When the medium is right, the ideas follow. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, if it’s what the story needs, the story will flow easier in its correct home.

Shift some gears this week, and see how your journey smooths out. You’ve got some more amazing vistas ahead of you — go forth!