The process is the point
Plus an invitation to join me in January in a (free!) online community for visioning and intention setting in the new year.
This is Roots + Branches, a free newsletter on the craft and joy of writing and creativity by Root creator and award-winning author Julia Skinner. I hope it supports you in your creative journey!
My professional background, or a good chunk of it at least, is in academia. Writing looks and reads a certain way, which makes sense as you're trying to relay thorough research and clear, thoughtful findings. You want to make clear that you know what you're talking about, that you structured your study properly, and your findings can be trusted (and that you interpreted your results correctly).
It makes sense but also, whew, does it have an impact on the rest of your writing too!
For me, the combo of academia with a few other Life Things meant that writing felt like a field of landmines for most of my life: Any tiny misstep, whether a sloppy sentence or incomplete thought, could blow up the whole project or maybe my whole career.
Maybe you've felt the same way about your writing, too.
This year has come with many great revelations about myself as a writer and a leader: The wisdom of listening to your body as guide, for example, the need for rest, that listening to my curiosity and diving down rabbit holes matters more, in most cases, than loudly proclaiming my expertise on a topic.
But then there's this one: There are no mistakes!
How often have each of us sat down at our desks to write and worried that we're "doing it wrong?" How often do we feel like our process or our product isn't worth our investment of energy because it isn't perfect right away?
I've been feeling so energized by just focusing on process lately, and as we round out 2023, another year that feels like it's gone by quicker than a flash, I'm reflecting on the value of prizing process as much as product.
As we write, we also learn about our writing, by which I mean your own unique writing process. Knowing this process means you know when you write best, how to structure your writing sessions, the rituals you can build in around your writing time, etc.
Importantly, knowing your own process means you have the tools to turn writing from a thing you do to a thing you find pleasurable: Something you seek out and dive into full force. And who doesn't want to feel that way?
But focusing on process also allows you to center your humanity within your writing practice: You're a person, which means for better or worse you'll have off days, slip ups, messy drafts, and maybe even abandon a project altogether if after hammering away at it, you find it simply just doesn't work.
All of this is 100% normal (and you should see my folder of abandoned drafts from the last decade, it is massive).
But the thing is, we're all taught it isn't normal, and many of us believe that writing means sitting down and pouring out a perfect draft the first time: Editing is minimal, thoughts emerge fully formed, and definitely one isn't staring at the wall for half an hour trying to recapture an idea.
When I say the process is the point, this is what I mean: That thinking of your writing as an ongoing, lifelong process, rather than a painful trudge towards a series of deliverables, means you take the pressure off yourself.
It means you don't expect yourself or your writing to be perfect, but most of all, by letting the process unfold in the way that's unique to you, you open yourself up to surprise, to serendipity and synchronicity, and to new ideas (if you want more about ideas, see Gilbert's Big Magic).
This year, as we close out 2023 and open the book (puns!) on 2024, I hope you'll spend a moment reflecting on your own process, and commit to letting yourself have a process that you cultivate as much as your final writing products.
Rather than mistakes, each time something about our writing feels misaligned offers us an opportunity to ask what would feel more aligned instead, and to make steps towards that joyful process.
So in learning about our unique writing processes, here's what I've learned (or re-learned) about mine:
-I thrive with a dedicated, really cozy, and sensual writing space (think flowers, candles, soft squishy pillows) that's separate from the rest of the house. That separation is key, but having things that ground me into my senses and make the space fun to be in are, too.
-I'm a better writer when I move my body regularly.
-I'm a better writer when I meditate.
-Standing up and taking a break when writing feels overwhelming or I'm super scattered is the best choice: Rather than getting mad at myself for not 'doing it right,' I thrive as a writer by taking a step away, doing something else, then coming back focused and energized.
-Continuing to hold space for my uninterrupted writing time first thing in the AM is critical for me as a creator: Phone in another room, earplugs in, and completely unreachable.
-Helping other writers in their work helps me grow as a writer in really exponential, amazing ways.
I'd love to hear what you learned about yourself as a writer this year: Please let me know in the comments!
Some gifts to close out the year:
You, dear readers, get some special treats that I'm very excited about.
Keep reading to share in some of my favorite things!
Plan your 2024:
For a long time, I found myself sliding sideways into a new calendar year. With few concrete plans, I would just continue building on the work I was doing, or perhaps branch out in some new directions, but would expend a lot of energy figuring that out mid-stream.
Spontaneity is great and good, but so too is planning: In the last few years, I’ve started to embrace both.
Here are some gifts I made for you (and me) as a part of that process:
My 2024 marketing plan template: This isn’t really a traditional marketing plan, though it combines aspects of one along with prompts for reflecting on what you actually want to focus on in your work, whatever it may be.
Reflection plus clear (but flexible: sometimes thing change!) action steps works best for me: A writer who also runs a couple businesses so tends to have several types of work that fall under the umbrella of my career.
My 2024 vision guide: with journaling prompts + vision board guidance for the new year, plus an invitation to join a special lil’ Slack community of fellow thoughtful, creative folks as we set our yearly intentions, share our plans and dreams, and just enjoy each other’s company throughout the month of January.
Download the guide, and email me at hello@root-kitchens.com to join the virtual group if you’d like!
Find your writing community:
I've been thinking on how to make Mycelia (creative co-working + skill-building sessions) more accessible, and here's what I've decided:
For 2024, paid subscribers get free access to Mycelia, beginning in January. Just shoot me an email to sign up and I’ll send you the details (hello@root-kitchens.com).
All newsletter subscribers (yes, including free subscribers!) get 50% off Mycelia, always.
Just use code SUBSTACK at checkout.
This is in addition to the end of year sale I have on the site as a whole, which means you get the $55/month unlimited pass for $27 year-round, and for about $12/month if you sign up before the end of the year (that discount applies to every month, not just the month you sign up).
Tl;dr: You can join Mycelia affordably either by becoming a paid subscriber, or signing up on the website (make sure to use the code SUBSTACK)!
(Side note: We're taking a break from meetings for the rest of December, but we resume in January!)
I'm very excited about this because it's a way to help my fellow writers, particularly those of you who support my newsletter as readers (something for which I'm forever grateful!)
Work with me one-on-one
If you want to start your year with growing your own unique writing practice, and making progress on your book, I have a couple spots left for Bloom in January, and they're 20% off through December 31st.
And finally: crafts!
If you want to read about craft and make crafts, keep your eyes on your inboxes for one of my favorite holiday (or anytime) crafts.
It is pickle-related, which comes as a surprise to no one.
Thanks for reading Roots + Branches!
I'm on a mission to help my fellow creatives build sustainable, joyful writing practices that give their biggest, most magical, and important ideas space to come to light.
You can support my work by sharing this newsletter, becoming a paid Root subscriber (which also gives you discounts on many of my classes + other goodies), or by working with me one-on-one.
Thank you for your support, and happy writing!
My background is also in academia and years of academic writing tend to really mess with your head when you're writing for the general public. I think I'm doing a good job writing for the latter, and my academic writing was always, I'm told, literary and beautiful (you know, for academic writing) but it takes conscious effort to do so because they writing is so different.