What a holiday taught me about writing
Lessons learned after a much-needed break
After a week’s rest and relaxation on the lovely island of Cyprus, I feel like a different person. Not only am I energised and excited about my writing projects, but I’ve also gained clarity and learned some important lessons about how to look after myself so that I can keep writing.
Before the holiday, I was hanging on, desperate for a break. I’d abandoned my precious 5am writers’ club, preferring to stay in bed and get some extra sleep. This meant that my writing wasn’t progressing and when I’m not writing, I feel frustrated and down.
On the day of our holiday, I joked with my husband that I was so tired I’d need help boarding the plane. It was like all the energy was slowly draining from my body—just putting one foot in front of the other was hard work. And if that wasn’t bad enough, an enormous cold sore erupted on my face.
I couldn’t understand why all this was happening.
Nothing had drastically changed in my life. I was working a busy day job, caring for my geriatric and very-needy horses, and trying to keep on top of the cleaning and life admin. But I’ve always juggled these things, living my life at a million miles an hour, taking on new projects, throwing myself into new challenges and opportunities.
Why was it all becoming so overwhelming and difficult to manage?
Perhaps my hormones were to blame. Was this yet another symptom of the perimenopause? Or maybe I’d picked up a virus?
It wasn’t until I was reading and relaxing by the pool that I realised I’d not had a proper break for a long time. I’m always rushing from one thing to another, trying to do more. The way I was feeling, I realised, was my body’s way of telling me I needed to rest.
The importance of rest
In the past, I’ve taken ‘rest’ to mean doing something productive to fill the creative well—things like exercise challenges or visits to exhibitions or galleries. What my body was craving now was a real ‘do nothing’ kind of rest.
So, in Cyprus, I made sure it was my priority. Yes, I still ran most mornings, but I spent long days reading and sleeping by the pool. We didn’t squeeze in any day trips as we usually do; instead, the focus was on resting and getting better.
It’s only been a short holiday, but I feel like I’ve been away forever. Time has moved slowly, and that has been wonderful. At home, the days and weeks pass in a blur. It’s fast-paced and hectic. I realised I was burning out and not only putting my writing career at risk, but also my health.
Incorporating renewal cycles into my writing routine
It’s impossible to maintain a fast pace constantly and I need to find a way to balance intense periods of work with rest. I read an article recently about how high-performing teams build renewal cycles into their work schedules so they can sustain their performance.
I’ve decided to do the same. Each month, I will schedule time to rest and after concentrated periods of work, I will have a renewal cycle, which sounds rather lovely.
Focusing on one writing project at a time
For a while, I’ve been juggling lots of different writing projects — novels, short stories, essays, and a memoir. But I’ve not yet finished any of them. It’s been two years since my last book came out and since then, I’ve made little progress with my book-length projects. Rather than trying to work on everything at once — writing a novel scene here, a nonfiction chapter there — I’ve decided I will focus on one project at a time.
Already this is having an impact, getting rid of the overwhelm, and renewing my energy and enthusiasm for my projects.
Keep on, keeping on
After a few near misses in some writing competitions and positive feedback but no sign-ups from agents, I was feeling a little bruised and had stopped sending work out. I’d developed the ‘it’s never going to happen to me’ writer mindset. And that wouldn’t get me anywhere.
Instead of giving up, I will keep going — writing, submitting to agents and taking positive steps to get my words out into the world.
Enjoy the journey
Ever since I was a child, I’ve loved to write. It’s one of the main pleasures of my life. But a career as a writer is not easy. I’ve been getting bogged down in the submission process and forgetting that writing makes me happy. So long as I’m writing, I’m okay.
Make more time for reading
I read a lot of books on holiday. I love to read and I’m passionate about books so really should allow myself the time to read more. Not only is it relaxing, but it’s also part of the job of being a writer.
Redefine success
While I was away, I watched a BBC interview with Tracey Emin, who was talking about the meaning of success. She said something about success not being about the sales and the accolades but about the creative process and the making of art. This really resonated with me.
Although I would love to be an internationally bestselling author, I have no control over this. What I do have is control over what I create. So, rather than fixating on bestselling books being the marker of success, I’ve shifted my focus to producing a body of work that makes me proud.
I also reminded myself that I don’t need to wait for a literary agent or a publisher to choose me. I can choose myself, publishing my own books and having full creative freedom, and with that realisation, I set a date for the publication of my next project—February 2025.
Have more adventures and write about them
I’m desperate to travel more and write about my adventures, but I’ve been feeling trapped by my circumstances, unable to see a way forward.
On the last day of the holiday, an email dropped into my inbox, reminding me of a quote by Marcel Proust. "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
It came at exactly the right time for me and really made me think about what I can do to fulfil my travel writing ambitions. Rather than feeling down and negative, I’m feeling optimistic.
In fact, I can’t believe what a difference a week’s holiday has made to my mindset. When I boarded the plane to Cyprus, I hoped I would feel better when I returned. I didn’t expect it to be quite so transformative. I am refreshed, excited, and ready for the next chapter in my writing life.
Never again will I underestimate the power of having a good rest.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoy reading Midlife Without a Map, please do share this post with a friend. Thanks so much, Liz xx
I really struggle to ever feel rested or renewed in a lasting, helpful way. I will have to think about what you're saying here and see what I can do! Thank you for sharing all this.