Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn

Books to Get You in the Zone, Writing Tools & More

Author

Sara Hamdan
August 26, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

I think I speak for parents everywhere when I say: Thank God school starts this week for the kids. Here’s a video of my latest drums class, where I showed up in a dainty floral dress only to learn how to play a heavy metal song called “Animal I Have Become.” An apt end-of-summer anthem for tired parents everywhere (and a ridiculous contrast). You’re welcome.

I’m a creature of habit and love the routines that come with the fall season: I get to go to morning gym classes after school drop off, setting me up for a positive day of work. There’s nothing like those Back-To-School vibes, with blank notebooks and perfectly sharpened pencils… Then comes Halloween, Thanksgiving, then Christmas… and I am here for all of it. 🍁

So in honor of that, I wanted to theme this newsletter around fresh starts, mental clarity and planning for success. #LFG!

📕 Read: Books To Get You In the Zone

A selection of titles, fiction and non-fiction, to inspire you for a fresh start and a great fall season.

Did you know that we spend 47 seconds focused on one task, on average, before we switch to something else? Not only do we interrupt ourselves more often than others interrupt us (I mean, my kids challenge this premise), but it takes 25 minutes to refocus fully once you’ve been distracted. Crazy, right? This groundbreaking book is written by a clinical psychologist who worked in Microsoft’s research lab. Loved it.

She got 37 rejections before a publisher took her on – and this was after building a wildly successful media empire. In this book, Arianna Huffington redefines traditional metrics of success: a fat paycheck and a corner office. She’s a proponent of balance and success on our own terms, including a good night’s sleep, regular exercise and healthy eating habits. I wholeheartedly subscribe to that philosophy.

One of the best memoirs I’ve ever read, this book is about a girl born into a family with zealous religious beliefs, taught that the outside world should be greatly feared. She breaks away from the restrictive community in the US and studies on her own, making her way to Cambridge and Harvard. Evocative writing and a beautiful exploration of self. Reads like stunning fiction.

One of my fave Japanese novelists, Ishiguro brings a thought provoking look at our tech dependence. Klara is a sick child with an AI doll as a friend. The novel is a beautiful portrayal of loss and acceptance – and starting over when you have to find a way.

If you’re able to figure out your true purpose - what makes you tick - and get paid for it, that’s basically what the Japanese call Ikigai. It’s an aspirational shift in perspective to allow you to do what you love – and love what you do.

🗓 Write: It’s in the Planning

What is the difference between a dream and a goal?

One is an aspirational hope, the other a process-oriented plan.

When I start working on a first draft of a novel, I have a general idea of plot, main characters, and a start, middle and end. I’m a fan of surprising plot twists and suspense (not just for psychological thrillers, these are great elements for any work of fiction), and pulling these elements off well requires careful planning.

I use several tools to help me structure my writing and wanted to share some with you:

  • Miro - An online whiteboard complete with virtual post-it notes

  • Scrivener - A writer’s best friend to help plan chapters, write notes on characters, branch out into screenplays or poetry and so much more

  • Google Docs - After I’m happy with the sequence of chapters in Scrivener (i.e. developmental edit), I move on to Google Docs (i.e. line/ copy edits) and share with beta readers/ professional editors so they can add feedback

  • A good old-fashioned cork board, thumb tacks, and switching off social media can also do wonders!

🧘🏻‍♀️Inspire: Meditation for Tuning Out the Noise

There is so much noise around us, I’ve learned that mental clarity requires daily discipline. Here’s a meditation I’ve found that helps me focus:

Random things from the Internet for a break from work:

Countdown to My Novel’s Publication Day:

Timer from emailcountdowntimer.com

Thanks for reading! See you next week!

With kindness,

Sara