Hey ,

In the twitterverse the hashtag #1000wordsofsummer has taken off and writers are posting about their 1,000 word days.

As I tweeted and discussed on IG, I am NOT one of these writers:

(Instagram post with picture of my tweet which reads: "#1000wordsofsummerposts are both giving me FOMO and making me saying (sic) F that. I'm home all day with a toddler. I know some people in similar positions write anyway. I am not one of those people #maybenextsummer" 

Next to the image of the tweet is a response from @vanessa_loba that reads: "I don't always find these communal writing exercises helpful either. The pressure can be too much. And life shit takes over, as you know. What I've been doing is showing up to the page every day, and that feels good.")

These days my toddler is either on top of me or demanding I take him for walks -- yes, just like an eager little puppy. 

To be honest it's a miracle this newsletter lands in your inbox each week.

And I'm (mostly) ok with that.

Based on the IG comments on the post above it turns out I'm in pretty good company. What a relief.

If you're on the #1000wordsofsummer train and feel energized, accountable, and excited about it, rock on! Celebrate the ish out of hitting those targets as long as they are meaningful for you.

If, on the other hand, the trend leaves you feeling stressed or inadequate, maybe just don't do that to yourself.

Don't let what works for others dictate what "should" work for you. As the saying goes "stop 'shoulding' on yourself."

Instead, get clear on what actually matters to YOU, and create a plan or systems to support your own specific writing goals.

Right now, what matters to me is: 

• Tweaking materials for the Writer, You Need a Website Course which re-opens for enrollment next week. Woohoo!
• An essay I've been playing around with in my head (that counts!) and that gets my attention when it gets my attention. No big lofty plans for it -- yet.
• I was invited to blurb a poetry collection, and since I let go of trying to bang out a fellowship application that was feeling more stressful than energizing, I think I'll have enough bandwidth to tackle that this month.
• This newsletter because I love checking in each week (though there will be a little summer break in emails for July).

Not 1,000 words a day. Hell sometimes not even 1 word over several days. 

Instead I'm focused on regular contact with my writing related projects, my writing community, and the early seeds of a draft that might move towards publication one day.

And naps.

Lots of naps with my little guy while he's still a snuggle bug.

That's it.

And that's perfect.

How about you? What's on deck for your writing life this summer? Hit reply and let me know.

P.S.  In case you're looking for ideas on how to set up systems or habits that support your own personal summer writing goals, I've included below the 3 Tips to Help You Write More in 2021 that I shared back in the January 19 newsletter.

P.P.S. If you purchased the workbook Write Your 2021: Reflect, Set Intentions, and Chart a Course for Your Writing Life at the start of the year, this mid-year point is a great time to revisit your Writing Life Compass and tweak as needed for the second half of the year.

May you write what needs writing this summer

*AND*

when in doubt remember what @WritersofColor told us on Twitter:

(Tweet from @WritersofColor on 1/13/21 reads: “it is ok if you aren’t writing because of the coup and it is also okay if you aren’t writing because of the pandemic and it is also ok if you aren’t writing because you do not want to”)

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