5 (or 6) Things to Do Between Books!

Nothing feels more satisfying than publishing a new book, but what’s the best thing I can do right after that big accomplishment?

You’ll probably say: “write another one.”

And I am. Well, I sort of am. I’m mostly enjoying the break.  Ahem, long break. I’m taking notes and adding to my word count, but I’m not putting pressure on myself. That being said, it doesn’t mean I’m not working my butt off in a different way.

So what do I think we should do between books? We need to prepare for the next one. And, any one of these would be a great place to start:

1- Read! For fun, of course. Why not spend time enjoying the thing that gave us a love for writing in the first place? Not only do we need the fun aspect of it, but it helps with our own storytelling.

2- Get out! Going into the world and smelling the roses, observing the people and nature, or eavesdropping are all helpful. But mostly, go out and have fun. Pursue your other hobbies and dedicate time to the other many things that make you happy.

3- Read! Yes, again. But this time, read to educate yourself on how to perfect your craft. Look up tips on writing. Find different approaches writers take to get their books finished. Learn more about writing characters if you’re a plot-driven writer, or vice versa. Study your genre, and then? Experiment with your own writing based on what you read. They may or may not work for you, but you’ll still learn something along the way.

4- Spend time with your family! Who better to inspire us to pursue our dreams and keep going than our family? Personally, I look at my darling little twins, and I feel motivated. Life is about being happy and making those we love happy. If we’re buried in our screens 24/7, we miss out on the things that matter most.

5- Watch TV! Yes, I said it. Paying close attention to your favorite TV shows or movies is one thing I seriously recommend. Why? So we can find out what about the story drives us. Do we love the emotion, the action, the characters, the story line? What would we have done to kick it up a notch? They are after all parts of storytelling, and not only do we learn from them, but we also can get very inspired.

So you can do any of that . . . OR you can take selfies with your book! Because come on, holding it in your hands for the first time is the best motivation to keep on writing! 😛

By  

S. Katherine Anthony