Fan Mail to Our Future Writer

Can you write a piece of fan mail to yourself?

After the big push to self-publish BLOOD & WOLF, my Gothic romance mashup, I fell into a kind of energy slump. My energy went into assessing the editor's comments, prepping the final version, working with the artist on the cover, making the release arrangements, addressing hiccups, executing the initial promotion, and once it was live: wham! I was down and out. My brain told me to push onto my next project, but my heart and fingers wouldn't cooperate. I was in a creative low point daze.

As I experienced this low-energy, empty feeling, I remembered an essay by Suleika Jaouad. She's the author of The Book of Alchemy and Between Two Kingdoms, and hosts an inspiring practice called The Journaling Club. In the essay, she described how she was at a creative low point at one time in her life and discovered a paper letter she had written to herself years before as part of a classroom exercise. When she opened the still-sealed envelope, the words reached out across time and challenged her creative fatigue and aimlessness, providing the emotional kick in the pants she said she needed to get back to her work.

I love her idea for myself in the present, but I also hope to bring the idea to a writing group that focuses on writer learning and growth. (Right now, I'm in a group that meets only for writing sprints.) While the words we put on paper are for us alone, the process would make a great discussion for the right group, helping all the members recharge themselves, both individually and as a creative and supportive team for every member's success.

Here's how it could work:

First: write a letter to your sometime-in-the future writer-self, and you might include:

1. Reflections. Discuss your thoughts, feelings, accomplishments, and challenges as a writer today, and include notes about how far you've come already.

2. Aspirations. Dare to dream! Describe what you envision for your future. Include things that are within your influence, but be careful about including aspects that are outside of your control.

3. Inspiration. Most importantly of all, encourage yourself! Think of this letter as a piece of fan mail to yourself.

Second: seal your letter and put it somewhere safe in your creative space. Then, forget about it until you need it on that dark day in the future when you're at a creative low point that has you in its grip and won't let go.

As an optional third step, discuss the process with trusted fellow writers. Without sharing the details, you could talk about whether you gained any insights into your writerly self or if you noticed any themes emerging from your text. A few questions to kick off a discussion:

• Did writing the letter help you remember any achievements you'd forgotten about?

• Did any aspirational goals or milestones surprise you?

• Did writing the letter lead you to fresh ideas or nurture your energy to approach a new project?

• Was there something in your letter that made you laugh or felt like a warm hug?

The letters can spark deep conversation, where writers help writers grow and develop.

I started this post talking about my energy slump. Well, I wrote my note to myself, which triggered a rush of energy for my next effort: my short-story project for the holidays. I can't tell you too much about it right now, but I can say that the stories will be gothic-y, with the sweetness of romance, a sprinkling of the supernatural, and in some tales, a touch of horror. While several stories have historical settings, there will be a couple that are more modern. You'll hear more in the months ahead! Until then, glow the comments box and let me know if you experiment with this exercise.