getting back to a writing project after too long away

In Tips for Getting Back to Writing After Time Away, I shared strategies for returning to our writing practices when there’s been some kind of break or lull. But what if you want or need to get back, not just to writing in general, but to a particular project that’s ended up on hold? (That novel you’d drafted two-thirds of, the short story you’d just finished outlining before something bad happened, the project you received edits on but haven’t actually revised yet…) What if you just can’t find your motivation or momentum again?
 
Well, first of all, check out the suggestions in that more general post. Be gentle with and kind to yourself. Find ways back to creative fun. Seek out support and community.
 
You’ll also want to start guiding yourself back to the energy of the specific project that has been set aside. Here are a variety of concrete approaches you can try, starting with whatever resonates with you right now:

Reconnect with the heartbeat.

Why were you writing this project in the first place?
 
What’s the heart of the project, the thing that couldn’t change without it ceasing to be itself, its emotional center? What super interesting questions is it engaging with?
 
Look back at your notes if you tend to write down key points like that.
 
Take some time to journal or freewrite about where your energy for the project was coming from back when you did have momentum. Or take a walk or a nice bubble bath and think it over. Remembering the excitement and how it felt in your body may help you get back in touch with the project and move it forward.

Nutshell.

A lot of us reread our draft—or dip in aimlessly, reviewing bits and pieces—when we’re trying to get back into the flow of a project. And especially if you’ve been away for a while, you probably do need to read what you’ve drafted so far (without editing! just reading!).
 
After that read-through, if you’re still having a hard time getting back into writing this thing, consider articulating what you know about this project instead of just kind of poking at it.
 
For example, tell a friend about the project, inviting them to ask questions.
 
Or, without looking at your notes or other materials, write a short summary of the project (as you imagine it) for its ideal reader, and then another summary as though you’re speaking to a very young child. What do you notice? What parts interest you? What got included in both summaries?
 
If you’re working your way back to a fiction project, try focusing on a main character or two. Refresh your memory: What is this person’s story goal, why are they trying to achieve that goal, and what’s getting in their way?
 
If you’ve already drafted a lot, consider reverse outlining. That just means creating an outline—or casual list of one-sentence scene summaries—to help you get a bird’s-eye view of where you are (and what might come next) instead of feeling stuck in the details.
 
These are all ways to reorient yourself in the big picture while feeling around for that spark.

Start small.

You’re having trouble jumping back into your old writing routine. Okay, well, can you write for ten minutes? Something like ten minutes with the project three times a week can build momentum, whereas a bigger goal that just keeps not happening tends to create avoidance (because it’s frustrating and awful-feeling!). Do whatever sets you up for success.

Start where there's energy.

Draft a scene you’re excited to write, to get energy flowing again. This is a situation where I’d advise jumping around even if you usually write in order, because writing at all is going to work better than staying stuck.
 
It can also be helpful to jump in by playing around with a scene that isn’t actually going in the book—a no-stakes sandbox for getting back to the characters or other features of the piece. Or try rewriting an existing scene that you love from a different character’s point of view. Play your way back into the story!

Be open to change.

The project may need to change, because you’ve changed.

That can be hard to accept and adjust to, and it can be inconvenient (especially if it means reworking a bunch of existing text!), but it’s also okay. And it's a lot more effective to embrace change than to tie yourself in knots trying to stick to an old plan no matter what.
 
You may ultimately find that you’re able to write something more beautiful, interesting, and you in the wake of whatever experiences you had during your time away from this project.

Happy reconnecting!