Ten Things Writers Can Do To Get Ready For Summer

Spring is here. It’s time to toss out the winter blahs and air out your office. Plan for the summer months with these ten spring housekeeping tips.

1. Weed out your portfolio.
Replace tired, old writing samples with fresh ones.

2. Update your resume.
Add recent projects. Don’t forget to include statistics if your books have sold well.

3. Revamp your writing space.
Cleaning your office is like a fresh start. Go through old files, and get rid of the clutter. Set up your desk near a window so you can enjoy the sights and sounds of summer. HGTV has some good tips for decluttering, cleaning and organizing a healthy workspace.

4. Overhaul your online presence.
Join LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Plaxo. If you're already a member of these sites, make sure your profile is up to date. Update your web page, or create a new one.

5. Make new contacts.
Commiserate with other writers through associations, message boards and social media sites.

6. Reconnect.
Look through your list of contacts. Reach out to say hello. You never know, a simple inquiry might lead to a summer writing gig.

7. Stretch beyond your comfort zone.
If you're stuck in a writing rut, plan to dabble in a new genre or take a summer writing class.

8. Brainstorm.
Make a list of topics that you would like to write about this summer.

9. Make a summer reading list.
Choose five books to read this summer. At least one of them should be about the writing craft. Try one of these:

On Writing, by Stephen King;

Word Painting: A Guide to Writing More Descriptively, by Rebecca McClanahan;

On Writing Well, by William Zinsser; or

Old Friend from Far Away, by Natalie Goldberg.

10. Find a summer getaway spot.
On warm summer days when you want to be outside, where will you go to write? Find one or more places conducive for summer writing. Put together a writing bag stocked with a notebook, pens and maybe even a snack or two. Keep it ready for those times when you need a quick getaway.

What other suggestions can you add to the list?







Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”