21. Unearthing my identity beyond mom

If you ever thought getting back into writing after a long hiatus is too difficult, you're not alone. It’s easy to fall out of the habit and go years at a time without writing, which can make taking that first step feel incredibly daunting.
The good news is that it’s never too late to get back to your craft and start writing again, no matter how long it has been. Just ask Erin. After years of disregarding her own dreams and focusing on the needs of her family, she finally managed to rebuild her writing habit—and you can too!
In today’s episode, you'll learn seven easy-to-implement steps to help you reanimate those writing muscles, such as pausing your to-do list, creating rituals that get your creative juices flowing, giving yourself permission to experiment, setting SMART goals, and more. The next 30 minutes are jam-packed with actionable tips and advice.
These recommendations are not only based on the experience Erin gained during her 15 years as a professional editor and the classes she took while earning her MA in Writing, but also from her personal experiences when she thought her writing skills had atrophied after she became a parent.
Reclaiming your writing skills may take a bit of effort. But by putting these achievable guidelines in place, you’ll be writing again in no time!
Topics discussed in this episode:

• The importance of mindset and giving yourself permission to write
• Facing parenthood guilt and finding creative outlets
• How to set small daily writing goals
• Using rituals to form regular writing habits
• What to do when you don’t know what to write about
• The power of embracing shitty first drafts!
• Shifting your definition of success using SMART goals
• Why finding good support is invaluable

About Erin:
For 15 years, Erin has worked as a magazine and book editor, encouraging each writer’s individual voice and strengthening their writing goals. When she became a parent, she set aside her own writing aspirations to focus on her family. As the years passed, she grew increasingly anxious, depressed, and angry until she realized that she had forgotten who she was beyond being a parent.
Despite fearing her writing skills had atrophied, Erin started writing again. She first created her blog, Life Beyond Parenting, and then created the Parents Who Write podcast. Erin’s current role as a podcaster and writing coach enables her to help parents pursue their writing dreams.
She earned her MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins University, and she has finished the first draft of a fantasy-romance novel. She lives with her husband and their two young boys in Maryland.
Connect with Erin:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinptcanning
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/erinptcanning
• Book a free 30-minute dis

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Looking for an editor or book coach?
As an indie author, editor, and book coach, I teach authors how to untangle their jumbled ideas and tackle each writing stage one at a time.
With my 20 years’ experience and my master’s in writing, I have a 4-stage process that takes authors from struggling with overwhelm to finishing their manuscripts with confidence and direction in 6 months.
As such, I love spending time with my clients and watching them grow into strong, knowledgeable authors. Read more here, and schedule a call to see if we're a good fit: https://calendly.com/erinptcanning/30min-meeting.