Restarting
Restarting is not about forcing yourself to be who you were before.
The Love of Storytelling and Book Creation
When you are restarting, the first thing to look at is why you are here. That is really number one, even if I listed it as number five. Do you love telling stories? Do you love building worlds or educating people through nonfiction? Do you love the business side and, yes, the money? All of that is allowed. Money is not evil. We all need it to live. What matters is that you understand your own reasons for writing, because that is what will pull you back to the keyboard when things get hard.
Maybe It Looks Like Helping Someone Else
Sometimes restarting does not mean jumping straight back into writing your next book. Maybe you are burned out. Maybe your brain feels fried. That is okay. You can still help someone else. Talk a new writer through their plot. Help them untangle a story problem. Teaching is part of the learning cycle. When you help someone else reach their dream, it can remind you why you loved storytelling in the first place and quietly lead you back to your own work.
Maybe It Looks Like a Rigid Schedule
For some people, the problem is not burnout but distraction. Golf, swimming, life, and suddenly there is no time left to write. This is where a simple, rigid schedule can save you. One hour. No internet. No excuses. Just write. Discipline does not come from outside. It comes from you deciding that this is what you are going to do and then doing it. When you do that, the work gets done, and it feels a lot like luck.
Embrace the Good Side of Your Work as an Author
When you are restarting, look for what is good in what you do. A great line. A powerful scene. A quote that makes you smile. Turn it into a meme. Print it. Put it on the wall. Give yourself some positive reinforcement. Writing is not easy. When you do something inspired, celebrate it. You earned that moment.
Know Why You Got into the Business
This circles right back to the beginning. Are you here because you love stories? Because you love working with readers and other writers? Because you enjoy the financial freedom that comes with success? Maybe all of it. Fans, storytelling, and yes, even flying first class when you can afford it. Know your why, and do not apologize for it.
Final Thought
Restarting is not about forcing yourself to be who you were before. It is about remembering why you started, finding a gentle or disciplined way back, and embracing what you love about being an author. When you know your why, the rest will follow.
Restarting — Original Medium Article
Restarting — Over 1000 Five Minute Focus videos on the Successful Indie Author YouTube Channel
SIA Writing Challenge website — Record Your Progress on Your Way to Becoming a Successful Indie Author
Craig Martelle is an author, leader, and entrepreneur living in Alaska. Retired from the Marine Corps military intelligence community and physical security, he graduated summa cum laude from law school and went into business consulting. From intelligence, to the inner workings of company boardrooms, to on-the-ground leadership, Craig has seen it firsthand.
He is a million-selling author of over 200 science fiction (post-apocalyptic, military sci-fi, and space opera), thrillers, and the non-fiction series, Successful Indie Author. Craig has been running author conferences since 2017, and also the Successful Indie Author Facebook Group, and the Successful Indie Author YouTube Channel.
Leadership is a service, not a crown to lord over others.