About this time every year, I get the back-to-school itch. I’ll admit it, I loved school. I didn’t much like a lot of the socializing, as I was not good at navigating the treacherous waters of school society, especially in my tween and teen years, but I loved classes and textbooks and learning.
So, this time of year, I start itching for the chance to learn something new. And it’s important to self-direct so the “something new” that I pursue is worthwhile, otherwise I end up with another box of supplies for a new craft that I will be obsessed with for weeks before it fades away. Instead, I need to coax my brain into delighting in something I can use.
The Perfect Time for Reading
For the most part, I am a fiction reader. I love a good story. In fact, I can love a pretty bad story as well. But the largest part of my reading diet is fiction, except when the back-to-school excitement hits. Because of my longing for back to school, I am totally primed for reading something instructive, so this is the time of year I almost always pick up a new writing book.
I love writing books. I love ones that are full of specific details of how other writers are doing this mysterious act of creation. I love ones that drill down and really make me think about specific elements of craft. And I love when the writing books have humor sprinkled in.
How about you? What was the last writing book you read? Any good ones? I’m always open to suggestions.
Planners, Give Me Planners
I’m too old for planners to have been part of my actual school days, but I do make use of them today, mostly for noting things, like when submissions windows open at publishers I want to connect with, and when deadlines for themes and other submissions calls happen. I also keep track of when I first connected with a publisher and dates for every step after (like deadlines).
As a result, I love buying planners, calendars, and notebooks. I’m very tactile so doing everything on my computer doesn’t work for me. Thus, I like to buy a new notebook or other planning inspiration item around this time of year. It makes me feel like I’m getting ready for the new school year. (Check out ICL’s Writer’s Planner and Motivation Guide for an excellent place to start.)
I’ll also shop thrift stores for inspiration items. I have a little shelf directly above my monitor where I can put things that inspire story ideas. These include small bits of art, inspirational sayings, or even cute action figures. Whatever makes me think or smile.
It’s all about getting ready, which I consider a key point of back to school.
Shopping, Did Someone Say Shopping?
I’m a sucker for back-to-school shopping. I love school supplies. So along with my planner, I’m also picking up the pens I love (pilot G-2) so that I have a supply throughout the year. I make sure to get them in black for signing contracts. This is my stocking-up time for anything I need in my office, as so many things go on sale for back-to-school.
It’s also a good time to consider my set-up. Does it continue to be ergonomic and healthful? Do I need a new chair or a new chair cushion? How’s my posture? How about my keyboard (mine is like a visual representation of the most used letters in the alphabet because those letters have no print on them anymore, but the letter z is as crisp as you could possibly want). I also like to clean everything in my office to ensure it’s all in top shape, and the room has that fresh back-to-school look.
Point Me to the Classroom
My little girl is almost twenty-five and lives on her own, but I still remember the sudden burst of free time that came with back to school when she was little. I’d been a writer before I got married and had a child, so the sudden thinning of my writing time was a constant challenge. Back to school signified getting a little of that back. And I kind of liked investing a little of that in some kind of class for me—either in the form of an in-person workshop, online event, or writing course.
These days I only have to work around deadlines, so I’m often tempted to catch an online workshop or two. I even like workshops on subjects I already feel fairly fluent in. Someone might think I’d be more comfortable in the speaker’s seat than the audience, but hearing someone talk about a subject of publishing or a skill I know well gives me a new perspective. And that helps make my writing fresher.
If anything, I’m more interested in classes now than I ever was, because I have seen the value of them in my own work time and time again. And since I also do some public speaking, I gain inspiration and knowledge from watching other people speak as well. For me, it’s wins all around. If I see a free event, I’m pretty sure to sign up. I’ll admit I’m more circumspect about paid events and specifically seek out ones in topics I actively want to learn more about. When I’m paying money, I must see ways it will benefit my craft or my career.
Writer Study Buddies
Accountability is a huge part of the school experience. It’s one of the great things about distance learning classes. You not only have school on your own terms, working classes around your busy adult schedule, but you also have accountability.
I work better with accountability. Deadlines motivate my flighty little brain to concentrate on a project to completion. Now, I’m not always going to be in classes. I can’t afford to do it all the time, so when I’m not specifically taking a class, I find it worthwhile to work with a critique partner.
For me, I’m not working with a critique partner for my “normal” output. Instead, I connect with my critique partner to help motivate me to complete something on my list of “things I’d work on if I had more time.” I’ll never have more time, so what I need is more pushing. And a critique partner can do that job. She can keep me accountable to create deadlines for the elements of the job I want to tackle, and then properly nag me about meeting the deadlines. And she can point out when I’m doing shoddy work merely to meet an imaginary deadline. She’s good for reminding me that I wouldn’t do that in a professional setting, so why am I doing it now?
Critique partners or critique groups are great. It’s the next best thing to having a writer mom. I highly recommend them.
Editors Are Catching the Back-to-School Spirit Too
I often find that summer slows things down in some areas of publishing. Editors and others in the publishing office grab their vacation time and that tends to slow up the works. I often plan around the summer slowdown to get other things done. I have noticed the back-to-school means back in the office, and a lot of fresh projects. I do most of my work as a freelancer, so I tend to get offered new books and new work with the new school year. This is a good time for me to renew my connections with publishers, but it’s also a good time to finish up whatever project I’ve been revising and get it into submission. That back-to-school spirit that is giving me fresh energy is catching, so I make use of it as much as I can.
As I prep for back-to-school, I encourage you to catch a little of the back-to-school fever too. What are you doing to bring freshness to your attitude and your work during this inspiring time? What are you doing to put you in the learning spirit? Whatever you choose to do, I highly recommend using this time of year to rev up your writing. You’ll be glad you did.
With over 100 books in publication, Jan Fields writes both chapter books for children and mystery novels for adults. She’s also known for a variety of experiences teaching writing, from one session SCBWI events to lengthier Highlights Foundation workshops to these blog posts for the Institute of Children’s Literature. As a former ICL instructor, Jan enjoys equipping writers for success in whatever way she can.
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So, this time of year, I start itching for the chance to learn something new. And it’s important to self-direct so the “something new” that I pursue is worthwhile, otherwise I end up with another box of supplies for a new craft that I will be obsessed with for weeks before it fades away. Instead, I need to coax my brain into delighting in something I can use.
As a result, I love buying planners, calendars, and notebooks. I’m very tactile so doing everything on my computer doesn’t work for me. Thus, I like to buy a new notebook or other planning inspiration item around this time of year. It makes me feel like I’m getting ready for the new school year. (Check out ICL’s 
These days I only have to work around deadlines, so I’m often tempted to catch an online workshop or two. I even like workshops on subjects I already feel fairly fluent in. Someone might think I’d be more comfortable in the speaker’s seat than the audience, but hearing someone talk about a subject of publishing or a skill I know well gives me a new perspective. And that helps make my writing fresher.
For me, I’m not working with a critique partner for my “normal” output. Instead, I connect with my critique partner to help motivate me to complete something on my list of “things I’d work on if I had more time.” I’ll never have more time, so what I need is more pushing. And a critique partner can do that job. She can keep me accountable to create deadlines for the elements of the job I want to tackle, and then properly nag me about meeting the deadlines. And she can point out when I’m doing shoddy work merely to meet an imaginary deadline. She’s good for reminding me that I wouldn’t do that in a professional setting, so why am I doing it now?
