Maniacal Workhorse or Zen Slacker? (A Love Letter)
Society offers us the above two options, but maybe you, like me, land somewhere in between, or vacillate between the two
Mindset, motivation and inspiration for writers, with a dash of instruction about writing craft added in, from novelist, writing coach and workshop leader Charlotte Rains Dixon. I also carry on a lot about process, because: there’s no one approach to writing that works for everyone. But I can help you find what works for you. I love all of my readers, every single one of you and I’m truly grateful when you read my work and connect with me. Subscribe to get the fuel you need for your writing career. I truly adore all my readers, and a paid subscription helps my bring these words to you.
Hello lovies,
Two emails landed in my inbox this week. The first exhorted me to “work like a maniac.” The second, from an old acquaintance, urged me to listen to my body, to be aligned with my desires, and to not push myself into burnout. These extremes are both popular right now, with books on either end of the conundrum widely read. (See book list below).
What’s a writer to do?
I’d love to tell you that I, as a writing-coach-teacher-guide, I have this conundrum sorted. But I don’t. I veer wildly between the poles. It is my desire to be the maniacal workhorse, all day, every day. Instead (or maybe because of this), I tend more toward the zen slacker, with spurts of working hard throughout the day and then wandering off to do other things. Like, I don’t know, reading every word of every Substack in existence. Or lately, sitting outside soaking up these glorious early summer days. So I probably shouldn’t be offering up my so-called wisdom on this topic.
But even if you think I’m wise (thank you and would you please drop a note to my husband on this subject?), the true wisdom is the ability to follow your own path. To wit: I like to write every day, I just do. It keeps me connected to my WIP or my inner self through journaling. When first I started in the business of advising writers, I’d exhort others to do the same. But I’ve learned this doesn’t work for everybody. Some writers can go days without writing and then splash out a novel in a couple of weeks. That works for them, but not for me. I’m more like the tortoise in the old Tortoise and the Hare story.
And this, of course, leads me to tell you that I believe strongly in listening to your own self. In charting your own path. The problem is, sometimes listening to your own self is hard. It’s hard because there’s a lot of noise out there and noise causes uncertainty. I sometimes see this with writers who are so desperate to get their stories out in the world (in most cases this means traditional publishing) that they bend and turn and squish their words every which way, depending on the latest critique they’ve gotten. And, I hate to say it, but then they end up with nothing. Or a piece of writing that has been gone over so many times that there’s no life left in it.
Though I do still tend to veer between productivity and slacking, one thing has changed for me. It’s this: I know this about myself. And because I know this, I’m far less likely to beat myself up when I have a slacker day. Which in turn makes it easier to get back to being productive. I have learned am learning to accept it and work with it.
Several years ago I took a class with Becca Syme in which we looked at a bunch of different personality tests (Myers-Brigg, Enneagram, the Strengths one) and how it affected our writing. The best part of the class was my one-on-one session with her in which she looked at my test results and declared that I write from the middle. In other words, I need to launch into things, leap without looking around, and write until I reach a point where I think, hmmm, maybe I need some structure here.
I don’t like that this is my process. I would much prefer to be a writer who can outline a structure, figure out character wounds and misbeliefs, parse out setting and go to it. But I am not that writer. And no matter how I try, I never will be. But—and this is a big, optimistic but—since learning this about myself I don’t have to get quit so far in my launching before pausing to straighten things out. And that makes me happy.
So remember, in the immortal words of Buckaroo Banzai, “wherever you go, there you are.” Yes we can change ourselves for the better (or so my library of self-help books tell me) but change starts with acceptance. And so if today is a day to slack, go for it. And if you’re fired up to write, that’s great, too.
Love, light, and good writing,
Charlotte
P.S. It’s summertime and the living is easy. I’ve been way more the zen slacker than the workhorse and I’m okay with that! How about you? How is your summer going? Are you being productive or relaxing?
Articles and Resources
I wrote an article about the use and misuse of the TK, a handy writer’s tool. Don’t know what the TK is? You’ll just have to read the post.
Authors hiring their own publicity agents
Are you on the path or off it?
”Was is an observation, not an action.” Brilliant.
Books
Let’s Pretend This Will Work, by Maddie Dawson. I’m a fan of this author’s novels. They are light and breezy and fun and funny. And this one is no different. Only a few pages in, but I’m enjoying it. Update: Loved it. This book ended up being the one I grabbed to read with lunch (instead of scrolling Insta). I couldn’t wait to get to it for my in bed reading. Predictable yes, but surprises along the way.
I’ve added a ton of new titles to my Kindle and also ordered soft-covers. I’m in a frenzy of branding work because, as I mentioned last week, an exciting opportunity has arisen. More soon. On the opportunity and the books.
Overseas Workshops
We’ve got our eyes on two upcoming workshops in September. Blog posts on our website will tell you all about the location of our France workshop and why we love it so much. You can read about art and artists in Céret, the crazy annual footrace there, and best of all, the wonderful local bakeries. Nab your spot now. And here is the promised interview with our guest resident Angela M. Sanders (written by the wonderful Shari Lane, whose book is also wonderful!)
And here is the most recent blog post about Perugia.
Other places to connect with me:
Instagram (trying to get back on there more regularly)
My website (badly in need of an upgrade)
Our workshop website
My original blog (now for archive purposes only, no longer updated)
" The problem is, sometimes listening to your own self is hard. It’s hard because there’s a lot of noise out there and noise causes uncertainty." I love this part so much. Sometimes, I really have to block out the noise and that is also stressful because there's fear of missing out on some special little bell that's ringing just for me. So, as you say, I try to check in with whether my feelings about my work are getting bullied by too much noise or whether they're being bolstered by some good camaraderie. Naps, also the answer in my case! Thank you, Charlotte.