As a fellow morning writer and Texan, the struggle is so real. I deeply feel I have to write first thing but it’s literally the only time you can do anything. This was honestly so helpful and a great way to think about structuring around the hellscape that is especially this summer.
I can't do anything active in summer (I don't own aircon so once it reaches 33c/91f plus the 60-90% humidity we get, I turn into an energy-saving slug). I usually spent summer either reading, music or marathoning tv shows. I physically cannot do anything else. I save all my active activities (dancing, studying, traveling, writing) for the other three seasons. It's so hot in summer I tend to nap a lot too on my days off so I stick to passive hobbies. So, good luck to you!!
I'm in the south- I struggle in summer too! Whereas other places get winter SAD that's me in the summer. Chilly, dark winters are just a signal for my body to hibernate, rest & get cozy. But bright summers signal being outside & active...which you can't really do when it's over 100 & humid every day! So it makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong being inside & it has a huge mental affect on me. This was such a great idea for a vid cause the summer struggle is real!
I feel you! It's 117 degrees today here in Vegas and I have yet to drag myself out of bed at 3:30 in the afternoon! Add on chronic illness and fatigue and I've just decided I'm not doing Anything until...... October. Glad to see you making it work for yourself! Show that heat who's boss!
I'm originally from Alaska, where it only hits 80 degrees for maybe a week in july and the rest of summer is a cool 75 degrees. So, when I moved to Florida with my family a few years ago I was absolutely drained of creativity and focus from May-September but it's really encouraging watching you make these seasonal writing routine resets and I'm definitely going to try changing my routine up! I hope to workout at the gym where AC is in abundance, go ice skating weekly and I want to try more smoothies and cold food recipes (other than sandwiches) to help counteract the weather and keep healthy/energized. For Camp NaNoWrimo I'm outlining and worldbuilding. Today I finally made it to character motivations and development after spending the first week deep in the lore and history of the world. (And as a unofficially/casual/get away project I'm figuring out the second draft of my action/sci-fi novel which is super exciting!)
Ahhh it’s been quite some time since I’ve had the chance to sit down and watch one of your videos but I love the idea of a summer writing routine. I don’t have one cause work has me writing all the time, but I would like to one day find a way to write creatively without feeling drained by professional writing earlier in the day
I've been trying to get into some form of routine recently in an attempt to get back into making writing something I do every day or, at least, most days throughout the week. I've always felt pressure to work on my story for hours in a day, even though that's not entirely realistic with my current schedule. I've had to remind myself that it's less about how long you work on something each day and more about consistently showing up! So, for me, this is starting to look like waking up at 6 AM to do some reading and journalling and then I dive into my story for about 20-60 mins, depending on how much time I have that day. Then, I'm aiming to do a little more writing in the evenings for, again, 20 - 60 minutes. 😄 Thanks for sharing your routine! It's really encouraging me to stick with mine!
My summer routine consists of waking up naturally and either writing or not. Just focused on my own internal vibes. Also I have to account for chronic disability soo I try to take weekends off to recuperate
Bahaha! My partner's grandma wants to move back to Vietnam and so we've all talked about going with her for a bit and I was like "oh great, Texas will have prepared me for this" and they said NO. There's nothing like the heat and humidity there. 😂 Very quickly humbled, I can't imagine.
Hi kate!!! The summers here in Tennessee seem to be getting even more awful by the year 💀 and the winters even colder! I love writing in winter, curled in a blanket and thick hoodie after school, listening to rainy lofi music. That's ideal!! Not too good for the electric bill though 😭 super excited for project death btw!!! Ive been a silent viewer for ages, but your channel is like the only one i can binge watch all day XD!!! I just had to say something, yk??? You're awesome, and thanks for being such an inspiration!!! ♡♡♡-Blue💙
May-Sept I am in the worst mood. I live in the Mediterranean and HATE the heat and humidity so until Autumn graces me with its presence, reading and writing is like a struggle of a lifetime.
At last I am home! Still recuperating, but on a walker, and hurray for WiFi! Catching up on videos and putting off ten weeks of email. Love your summer routine. ❤️❤️❤️
Great to hear from you. Thank you so much for the video. Summer is my least favorite season. It's too hot & bug filled to concentrate during this season. I thrive in colder weather. This advice might be helpful.
I've learned that since moving to Georgia, summer is just not a creatively productive season for me. My brain basically melts in June and doesn't recover until sometime in September. In the past, I've tried to push through it, but this year, I'm leaning into it. I'm reading more, taking some self-paced online courses, and doing some freewriting. Plus, I'm moving in a few weeks, and no work will get done until I'm settled in at the new place and can focus again.
Also in SATX find you a cafe where they blast the ac or a good bus ride to basically no where with some music or audiobooks is also great for clearing your brain. I’m from the valley so it doesn’t feel too bad for me but i get summer sad and these usually help.
Wow. I live in Michigan and I think the highest temperature I have ever experienced was somewhere around 105F. It normally flirts with 90F on hot days and I complain loudly and disappear indoors. I can't imagine. 😅 I do feel like autumn is my most productive season. It could be for any number of reasons: cozy weather, nano, it's just my favorite season, an end of the year resurgence of motivation, etc, etc.
It's technically winter here, but where I live is so warm all the time that I actually have the fan on. I love this video and the tips you have to keep creativity going when you're dehydrating from sweating - which I am, at least 80% of the time. Writing in the morning is something that really sets the mood for the day for me, because the rest of the day is so hot. But there's nothing like lemonade and the evening air on summer nights. Stay safe from the mosquitos and in the shade!
Ah, as someone from Scotland now living in south Louisiana, I realised I'm like this too lmao. From nine months of winter to nine months of summer plus the ungodly months between May and September I definitely realised I do so much better when it's cold, rainy, and wintry out - I feel at home and my brain works better lmao, louisiana humidity and heat just murders me
Omg not the Doctor Who Cassandra mention! I'm in Colorado at the moment and the temperature is sooooo much better than Dallas but it's so dry here that my skin is definitely screaming 'moisturize me!'
I'm barely starting to get into a writing routine. The funny thing is, there are only two weeks left of this semester, then we'll have a 2-week break, then Fall semester will start. But I'm sure the temperatures will still say "summer" way into October or even November! (I live in Georgia.) That being said, I would like to restart my walking routine at some point, which would help with my focus and energy issues I'm sure. Right now I'm reading the book Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg. Similar to James Clear's Atomic Habits, but more straightforward. It gives you practical ways to start habits that actually matter to you. I'm hoping I can use this system to finally get back on track with my writing!
I live in the Mojave Desert of California. If I don't walk the dogs, workout, clean the house, and get groceries early in the morning it's not happening. I also take a nap in the afternoon because it's so hot that I just fall asleep. I also get up at 4:30 am so that might also contribute to the nap.
I agree that summer can be really hard (and getting harder) in much of the US. I lived in Tennessee growing up and each year the summers seemed to get hotter and the humidity is way too much to spend long outside (like walking in soup). I moved to Washington state last year and the summers are very temperate and I’ll have a hard time ever leaving because of that lol.
I’d love to relocate to a cooler climate eventually!! Family is keeping us here for now but ONE DAY. Washington state is beautiful! I’ve visited once on a road trip and was totally floored.
I struggle with focusing in the summer too! When I can choose between writing or being outside… since I’m in the Midwest, our summers are SO short so I try to make the most of them!
Haha I live in South India and here, it's summer most of the time. Thankfully because we're coastal, there's humidity (I cannot imagine living somewhere where it's just heat waves😬). It's starting to rain only now and I'm really happy became I finally feel like the writing mood is set!
"The Dog Days of Summer", drink a lot of ice water (The pets too). I found a great writing space in a now storage area, but its too hot to work on yet, but has possibilities. in the bear future for me.
I have seasonally affected depression, but instead of hitting in the winter, it hits in the summertime. Sometimes it can be so hard to get out of a funk but I'm staying positive and creative during this difficult season! ((I even managed to self publish a poetry collection just yesterday!! 🎉))
OMG OMG CONGRATULATIONS!!! What’s your collection called and where could I find it?? And thank you for sharing! I’d never heard about it hitting in summertime but that 1000% makes sense to me. Sending you all the good vibes during this season!
@@KateCavanaugh Omg Kate you're such an inspiration to me and seeing you ask where you could read my collection felt so surreal! It's still being reviewed by Amazon, but it should be available to read in a few days or earlier. It's called "Somnolence" and it's under the pen name Vincente White. Just wanted to let you know I've been watching you since I was fourteen and now I'm a grown adult *published* poet. You've been such an inspiration and I hope it makes you smile. Thank you Kate 😭❤️ edit: okay, it's officially live!!
I usually have a strong writing stint in the Summer, which here in the UK is around 4 months... if we are lucky. This year though...nadda. I did have a brief successful stint in the Spring, which is when I am usually coming out of my S.A.D and mostly just trying to reset everything in life, so that was a win. And we get heatwaves but, thankfully, nothing like that 110 nonsense, although we also don't have air conditioning so even temps in the 80s can feel oppressive and draining.
The extreme heat takes it out of me, I like it when its warm enough to write outside but I can't bare to be outside more than five minutes in the shade right now (maybe slight exaggeration) I am also Cassandra O'Brien.Δ17 in this heat I've been waking up at 7 am so I can feed the horses and run the dogs before the ground is too hot and then I work / write in my grandmas house untill the aircon starts to struggle with keeping the house cool. Then everyone passes out and has a nice long nap 😂 then we survive untill the evening when we can Do Things again. I'm excited for this heat wave to be over 😂
Also in SATX. It is oppressive. lol. I recommend a trip to Florida. I went two weeks ago and it made Texas feel like a dry heat with their crazy humidity.
I live in the South too and SAME. My productivity for creative things takes a massive nosedive in the summer usually. I'm much more writerly in the fall/winter (though some of that probably has to do with the mood/tone of a lot of what I write). If I go outside and get into the heat and humidity, I'm done for. If I stay inside in the AC all day, I do a little better. But I really feel you on the summer thing!
lowkey my productivity is skyrocketing during summer, I have written two short stories this month…I guess it has something to do with no-classes-no-responsibility😅
Bahaha that totally makes sense!! I'm glad you're able to have this time to create more!!! I'm sure inspiration's been building up during the semester and was just waiting for Summer so it could finally run free bahaha.
BAHAHAHA. I have a place I store all my ticket stubs (from movies to travel, etc.) and for the life of me I cannot find the box anywhere. So right now their home is, unfortunately, the floor. It used to be in a cute pile near the bookshelf but then animals happened bahaha.
First off, I'm so sorry that it is that hot there. I know it's not quite the same here because Maryland weather versus Texas weather is very different but last week the humidity was off the charts and had out feels like temps in the 100's (or hot as 3 hells lol). I'm still impressed by anyone who is a hardcore morning writer because when you said you're in your office chair by 9:30am at the latest all I could think was, oh I'm still sleep at that time lol. I have discovered however, after trying different writing experiments, that I surprisingly am more productive mid-day which shocked me because I'm such a night owl. Currently I don't have a solid routine because I'm just in survival mode every day but I look forward to when I can get back to creating and sticking to a solid routine and just feel settled enough to write consistently. I'm so excited for you to finish both of your projects and will be ready to celebrate with you when you type the end. Also, I'm loving your long form experiment and will be crafting my own version to give a try in the Fall (hopefully I'll be more settled by then) so thank you once again for inspiring me. Sorry for the novel length comment and thank you for a great video with puppers (and Vin) to boot lol. Take care Kate! ❤❤
Y'all have a different kind of humidity too! East Coast humidity is no joke bahaha. And I'm impressed by you as a night writer! It does always make me giggle, since we've done so many of these kinds of videos and experiments now, when we discover that our favorite writing time =/= our best writing time. I say I'm a morning writer, but I think I might be with you on the "technically more productive in the afternoon" train bahaha. BUT I DON'T CARE. It feels better in the a.m. 😂 I'm very excited for your experiment AND for you to feel in a better, safer, steadier place!!! You deserve all the rest now and when you're able to get out of that survival mode, don't forget that part! 💜 (A gentle reminder, knowing you, lolol.)
Oh Kate, I live in Wichita Falls, Texas and man do I feel you in this video! The heat has been BRUTAL these last few weeks! To make matters worse, our air conditioner broke for a day last week (we quickly got it fixed) and that day I felt like I was close to DYING (the humidity was so bad). I wasn't able to do any work! Thankfully, I'll be moving soon...to another hot place (Las Vegas) but with no added humidity! In other news, I just hit the 40k mark in my sci-fi/horror/romance novel and now I'm slowly creeping up to the midpoint. Things are starting to slow down a bit as I reach some emotional beats I've been building up, BUT some tense action will soon follow, and I'm so excited to get to these scenes! Stay cool and hydrated, and remember to take breaks if you get too hot!
Thank you for this, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I have given up on doing Camp in July, to start it was b/c my old laptop kept overheating, now it's just me overheating. About 3pm on your average day between may and September when the indoor temp reaches 34c my brain shuts down for the day and there's nothing I can do about it. There's no ac and sleep needs to happen when it is possible b/c neighbours etc, so this owl is forced out of bed at 6- 6.30, and still not functional before 9am. But the real killer is the humidity (70-80% on an average day which adds 10-20 degrees to the heat index) and drinking enough electrolytes. I still have not worked out what to do about it, so I'm permanently out of sync with myself and I can't wait for October. Summer is just one long endurance test. I miss writing at night so much it hurts.
I have a hard time writing in the summer and winter. I live in Minnesota, so when it’s winter I mean, who knows how cold it will be and in summer, same thing but how hot is it gonna get is always the question. But I’ve always had trouble with my creativity when a season just drags on too long and idk why my creativity is seasonal but it is. Glad I’m not the only one. Like rn, I thought of a great story idea but when I went to type it out my brain forgot how to describe everything and dialogue is just a mess. This happens every year and yet I’m surprised each time.
This year I've been feeling out how I respond to the seasons because I finally live somewhere that I have more seasons than summer and a little break from summer. It's reminded me of summers growing up (I had seasons) and I'm trying a very free form summer with no pressure (obviously chores because...yeah) and I've been enjoying the headspace. I know that once autumn hits I'll be very happy to have a schedule again but I'm enjoying not fighting the heat for attention span. Plus, I've still been getting in a lot of work on projects but I'm not pushing myself through the effects of the heat so I can be done whenever I'm physically done. I've also been randomly inspired to do some reorganizing and rediscovery which is weird and unexpected.
I am working on the anchor habit of all anchor habits: sleep time. I often feel like no other habits can fall into place if I can't get my sleep schedule right.
I miss the dry heat of Texas-I live in Florida now-swampy sticky hard to breath heat. I don t miss the grass burrs At All. Really enjoy your writing sessions-keep up the good work!
I love the comment about "filling the well" before doing creative stuff by listening to audiobooks or something in the morning chores. Stay cool in that heat with your doggos! Also, I died at your comment about sleep hygiene and putting away your phone because I made that a goal for myself in January this year. I actually follow through, on average, about 1 day a week 😬 That's fine, we're cool, that's fine
I grew up in Oregon but I live out in the Austin, Texas area. For me as a neurodivergent, the Texas heat is debilitating. 100 degrees? I feel like my brain is melting and like my IQ shoots down to single digits 😭 I have to make a concerted effort to stay out of this heat because I just become a completely non-functioning human being. Going to pools or water parks is fun though and I always miss it until summer comes around.
I have clinical depression, but also suffer flare ups of seasonal depression... And seasonal depression for me is in summer. I embrace winter and fall and spring, but summer and I are not friends.
I'm not a fan of summer, either, even though I'm a gardener and everything is lush and beautiful and growing. But it's too bright and too hot and good quality sleep is hard to come by. It's a strange paradox. We don't get your Texas heat here (I would dissolve on contact in that kind of heat) but I'm still thinking wistfully of frost and cardigans. :D
I find writing and being creative during summer so difficult! Especially when it gets so hot that it becomes difficult to sleep at night, I find I end up using up the little energy I have at my dayjob with not much left over for my own projects :( I've been trying to write in the mornings instead, since the sun is up by like 5am here and usually wakes me up, but I'm still struggling with actually bringing myself to do this, especially on nights when I don't sleep much. Just gotta keep trying though, I'll get used to the heat eventually.
Summer is my least favorite season and everyone is shocked when I say so! I'm in Maine and the summers are so hot and humid! The heat makes me so temperamental and I HATE it! 😂
TBH, I don't spend much time outdoors no matter what the weather for various reasons, so my clothes change more than my routine. (Shorts and tank tops for the win babeeee!) I live in the Wasatch mountains so it's hot but dry in the summers, and cold and dry in the winters. The few times I've been somewhere with humidity it's felt like breathing soup. Kate! I have a question for you. I want to do a series of "I tried this author's routine" videos, but I'd like to do Authortube etc authors. Would you be okay with me doing a video about trying this routine? (Any writers who want to share your routines, please do!)
![АЛАУДИНОВ у Скабеевой: эти их ВСУ нас НЕ ДОГОНЯТ 😁 [Пародия]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/an0anqU4WGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I’m glad I’m not the only one who struggles with creativity and focus in the summer!! Already counting down the days to autumn haha
SAAAAME. Ready for the cooler temperatures and ready to decorate bahaha. It's been so nice hearing how many other people feel this way too!
I would love it to be autumn all year! Screw the heat! 🍂
As a fellow morning writer and Texan, the struggle is so real. I deeply feel I have to write first thing but it’s literally the only time you can do anything.
This was honestly so helpful and a great way to think about structuring around the hellscape that is especially this summer.
Vin is so silent and mysterious, I love her. 🐈⬛
I'm sooo here for cats and talking trash about summer (the worst season)! 😂
I can't do anything active in summer (I don't own aircon so once it reaches 33c/91f plus the 60-90% humidity we get, I turn into an energy-saving slug). I usually spent summer either reading, music or marathoning tv shows. I physically cannot do anything else. I save all my active activities (dancing, studying, traveling, writing) for the other three seasons. It's so hot in summer I tend to nap a lot too on my days off so I stick to passive hobbies. So, good luck to you!!
I'm in the south- I struggle in summer too! Whereas other places get winter SAD that's me in the summer. Chilly, dark winters are just a signal for my body to hibernate, rest & get cozy. But bright summers signal being outside & active...which you can't really do when it's over 100 & humid every day! So it makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong being inside & it has a huge mental affect on me. This was such a great idea for a vid cause the summer struggle is real!
My creativity actually spikes during summer and then putters off and then respikes during December and repeats
I feel you! It's 117 degrees today here in Vegas and I have yet to drag myself out of bed at 3:30 in the afternoon! Add on chronic illness and fatigue and I've just decided I'm not doing Anything until...... October. Glad to see you making it work for yourself! Show that heat who's boss!
I'm originally from Alaska, where it only hits 80 degrees for maybe a week in july and the rest of summer is a cool 75 degrees. So, when I moved to Florida with my family a few years ago I was absolutely drained of creativity and focus from May-September but it's really encouraging watching you make these seasonal writing routine resets and I'm definitely going to try changing my routine up!
I hope to workout at the gym where AC is in abundance, go ice skating weekly and I want to try more smoothies and cold food recipes (other than sandwiches) to help counteract the weather and keep healthy/energized.
For Camp NaNoWrimo I'm outlining and worldbuilding. Today I finally made it to character motivations and development after spending the first week deep in the lore and history of the world.
(And as a unofficially/casual/get away project I'm figuring out the second draft of my action/sci-fi novel which is super exciting!)
Ahhh it’s been quite some time since I’ve had the chance to sit down and watch one of your videos but I love the idea of a summer writing routine. I don’t have one cause work has me writing all the time, but I would like to one day find a way to write creatively without feeling drained by professional writing earlier in the day
I've been trying to get into some form of routine recently in an attempt to get back into making writing something I do every day or, at least, most days throughout the week. I've always felt pressure to work on my story for hours in a day, even though that's not entirely realistic with my current schedule. I've had to remind myself that it's less about how long you work on something each day and more about consistently showing up! So, for me, this is starting to look like waking up at 6 AM to do some reading and journalling and then I dive into my story for about 20-60 mins, depending on how much time I have that day. Then, I'm aiming to do a little more writing in the evenings for, again, 20 - 60 minutes. 😄 Thanks for sharing your routine! It's really encouraging me to stick with mine!
My summer routine consists of waking up naturally and either writing or not. Just focused on my own internal vibes. Also I have to account for chronic disability soo I try to take weekends off to recuperate
I live in South East Asia. We only have summer here.😆😆😆
Bahaha! My partner's grandma wants to move back to Vietnam and so we've all talked about going with her for a bit and I was like "oh great, Texas will have prepared me for this" and they said NO. There's nothing like the heat and humidity there. 😂 Very quickly humbled, I can't imagine.
@@KateCavanaugh When we take off our clothes, you see 2 different skin colours, that's how hot it is here. 😆😆😆
Hi kate!!! The summers here in Tennessee seem to be getting even more awful by the year 💀 and the winters even colder! I love writing in winter, curled in a blanket and thick hoodie after school, listening to rainy lofi music. That's ideal!! Not too good for the electric bill though 😭 super excited for project death btw!!! Ive been a silent viewer for ages, but your channel is like the only one i can binge watch all day XD!!! I just had to say something, yk??? You're awesome, and thanks for being such an inspiration!!! ♡♡♡-Blue💙
May-Sept I am in the worst mood. I live in the Mediterranean and HATE the heat and humidity so until Autumn graces me with its presence, reading and writing is like a struggle of a lifetime.
At last I am home! Still recuperating, but on a walker, and hurray for WiFi! Catching up on videos and putting off ten weeks of email. Love your summer routine. ❤️❤️❤️
Great to hear from you. Thank you so much for the video. Summer is my least favorite season. It's too hot & bug filled to concentrate during this season. I thrive in colder weather. This advice might be helpful.
I've learned that since moving to Georgia, summer is just not a creatively productive season for me. My brain basically melts in June and doesn't recover until sometime in September. In the past, I've tried to push through it, but this year, I'm leaning into it. I'm reading more, taking some self-paced online courses, and doing some freewriting. Plus, I'm moving in a few weeks, and no work will get done until I'm settled in at the new place and can focus again.
thank you for sharing your routine! 💛💛
Love your videos. 🤗 Watching you make coffee also makes me happy. Lol. A major part of my creative routine! ☕✍️
Also in SATX find you a cafe where they blast the ac or a good bus ride to basically no where with some music or audiobooks is also great for clearing your brain. I’m from the valley so it doesn’t feel too bad for me but i get summer sad and these usually help.
Wow. I live in Michigan and I think the highest temperature I have ever experienced was somewhere around 105F. It normally flirts with 90F on hot days and I complain loudly and disappear indoors. I can't imagine. 😅 I do feel like autumn is my most productive season. It could be for any number of reasons: cozy weather, nano, it's just my favorite season, an end of the year resurgence of motivation, etc, etc.
It's technically winter here, but where I live is so warm all the time that I actually have the fan on. I love this video and the tips you have to keep creativity going when you're dehydrating from sweating - which I am, at least 80% of the time.
Writing in the morning is something that really sets the mood for the day for me, because the rest of the day is so hot. But there's nothing like lemonade and the evening air on summer nights. Stay safe from the mosquitos and in the shade!
Seeing notifications for your videos never ceases to make me so incredibly happy. ❤
Ahhhh, and seeing your name pop up in the comments does the same for me! 💜
Ah, as someone from Scotland now living in south Louisiana, I realised I'm like this too lmao. From nine months of winter to nine months of summer plus the ungodly months between May and September I definitely realised I do so much better when it's cold, rainy, and wintry out - I feel at home and my brain works better lmao, louisiana humidity and heat just murders me
Omg not the Doctor Who Cassandra mention! I'm in Colorado at the moment and the temperature is sooooo much better than Dallas but it's so dry here that my skin is definitely screaming 'moisturize me!'
I'm barely starting to get into a writing routine. The funny thing is, there are only two weeks left of this semester, then we'll have a 2-week break, then Fall semester will start. But I'm sure the temperatures will still say "summer" way into October or even November! (I live in Georgia.) That being said, I would like to restart my walking routine at some point, which would help with my focus and energy issues I'm sure. Right now I'm reading the book Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg. Similar to James Clear's Atomic Habits, but more straightforward. It gives you practical ways to start habits that actually matter to you. I'm hoping I can use this system to finally get back on track with my writing!
I live in the Mojave Desert of California. If I don't walk the dogs, workout, clean the house, and get groceries early in the morning it's not happening. I also take a nap in the afternoon because it's so hot that I just fall asleep. I also get up at 4:30 am so that might also contribute to the nap.
I agree that summer can be really hard (and getting harder) in much of the US. I lived in Tennessee growing up and each year the summers seemed to get hotter and the humidity is way too much to spend long outside (like walking in soup). I moved to Washington state last year and the summers are very temperate and I’ll have a hard time ever leaving because of that lol.
I’d love to relocate to a cooler climate eventually!! Family is keeping us here for now but ONE DAY. Washington state is beautiful! I’ve visited once on a road trip and was totally floored.
I struggle with focusing in the summer too! When I can choose between writing or being outside… since I’m in the Midwest, our summers are SO short so I try to make the most of them!
Haha I live in South India and here, it's summer most of the time. Thankfully because we're coastal, there's humidity (I cannot imagine living somewhere where it's just heat waves😬). It's starting to rain only now and I'm really happy became I finally feel like the writing mood is set!
Oooh YES! Rain always elevates my writing mood too!! If I could pick the perfect writing weather, it would be overcast with a light drizzle bahaha.
**and an occasional rolling storm with thunder, but not too much scary lightning. 😂
"The Dog Days of Summer", drink a lot of ice water (The pets too). I found a great writing space in a now storage area, but its too hot to work on yet, but has possibilities. in the bear future for me.
I have seasonally affected depression, but instead of hitting in the winter, it hits in the summertime. Sometimes it can be so hard to get out of a funk but I'm staying positive and creative during this difficult season! ((I even managed to self publish a poetry collection just yesterday!! 🎉))
OMG OMG CONGRATULATIONS!!! What’s your collection called and where could I find it??
And thank you for sharing! I’d never heard about it hitting in summertime but that 1000% makes sense to me. Sending you all the good vibes during this season!
@@KateCavanaugh Omg Kate you're such an inspiration to me and seeing you ask where you could read my collection felt so surreal! It's still being reviewed by Amazon, but it should be available to read in a few days or earlier. It's called "Somnolence" and it's under the pen name Vincente White. Just wanted to let you know I've been watching you since I was fourteen and now I'm a grown adult *published* poet. You've been such an inspiration and I hope it makes you smile. Thank you Kate 😭❤️
edit: okay, it's officially live!!
@@m3talhe4d72 Ahhhh, I'll go search for it!! Thank you so much for sharing with me! 🩵 I appreciate getting to be a little part of your journey!
I usually have a strong writing stint in the Summer, which here in the UK is around 4 months... if we are lucky. This year though...nadda. I did have a brief successful stint in the Spring, which is when I am usually coming out of my S.A.D and mostly just trying to reset everything in life, so that was a win. And we get heatwaves but, thankfully, nothing like that 110 nonsense, although we also don't have air conditioning so even temps in the 80s can feel oppressive and draining.
The extreme heat takes it out of me, I like it when its warm enough to write outside but I can't bare to be outside more than five minutes in the shade right now (maybe slight exaggeration) I am also Cassandra O'Brien.Δ17 in this heat I've been waking up at 7 am so I can feed the horses and run the dogs before the ground is too hot and then I work / write in my grandmas house untill the aircon starts to struggle with keeping the house cool. Then everyone passes out and has a nice long nap 😂 then we survive untill the evening when we can Do Things again. I'm excited for this heat wave to be over 😂
Also in SATX. It is oppressive. lol. I recommend a trip to Florida. I went two weeks ago and it made Texas feel like a dry heat with their crazy humidity.
I grew up in Florida and lived there briefly as an adult. So, I can relate to your rant about the weather.
I live in the South too and SAME. My productivity for creative things takes a massive nosedive in the summer usually. I'm much more writerly in the fall/winter (though some of that probably has to do with the mood/tone of a lot of what I write). If I go outside and get into the heat and humidity, I'm done for. If I stay inside in the AC all day, I do a little better. But I really feel you on the summer thing!
lowkey my productivity is skyrocketing during summer, I have written two short stories this month…I guess it has something to do with no-classes-no-responsibility😅
Bahaha that totally makes sense!! I'm glad you're able to have this time to create more!!! I'm sure inspiration's been building up during the semester and was just waiting for Summer so it could finally run free bahaha.
I really like the thumbnail on this one!
the madrid public transport and train tickets on the floor i screamed ahahahha
BAHAHAHA. I have a place I store all my ticket stubs (from movies to travel, etc.) and for the life of me I cannot find the box anywhere. So right now their home is, unfortunately, the floor. It used to be in a cute pile near the bookshelf but then animals happened bahaha.
First off, I'm so sorry that it is that hot there. I know it's not quite the same here because Maryland weather versus Texas weather is very different but last week the humidity was off the charts and had out feels like temps in the 100's (or hot as 3 hells lol). I'm still impressed by anyone who is a hardcore morning writer because when you said you're in your office chair by 9:30am at the latest all I could think was, oh I'm still sleep at that time lol. I have discovered however, after trying different writing experiments, that I surprisingly am more productive mid-day which shocked me because I'm such a night owl. Currently I don't have a solid routine because I'm just in survival mode every day but I look forward to when I can get back to creating and sticking to a solid routine and just feel settled enough to write consistently. I'm so excited for you to finish both of your projects and will be ready to celebrate with you when you type the end. Also, I'm loving your long form experiment and will be crafting my own version to give a try in the Fall (hopefully I'll be more settled by then) so thank you once again for inspiring me. Sorry for the novel length comment and thank you for a great video with puppers (and Vin) to boot lol. Take care Kate! ❤❤
Y'all have a different kind of humidity too! East Coast humidity is no joke bahaha.
And I'm impressed by you as a night writer! It does always make me giggle, since we've done so many of these kinds of videos and experiments now, when we discover that our favorite writing time =/= our best writing time. I say I'm a morning writer, but I think I might be with you on the "technically more productive in the afternoon" train bahaha. BUT I DON'T CARE. It feels better in the a.m. 😂
I'm very excited for your experiment AND for you to feel in a better, safer, steadier place!!! You deserve all the rest now and when you're able to get out of that survival mode, don't forget that part! 💜 (A gentle reminder, knowing you, lolol.)
Oh Kate, I live in Wichita Falls, Texas and man do I feel you in this video! The heat has been BRUTAL these last few weeks! To make matters worse, our air conditioner broke for a day last week (we quickly got it fixed) and that day I felt like I was close to DYING (the humidity was so bad). I wasn't able to do any work! Thankfully, I'll be moving soon...to another hot place (Las Vegas) but with no added humidity! In other news, I just hit the 40k mark in my sci-fi/horror/romance novel and now I'm slowly creeping up to the midpoint. Things are starting to slow down a bit as I reach some emotional beats I've been building up, BUT some tense action will soon follow, and I'm so excited to get to these scenes! Stay cool and hydrated, and remember to take breaks if you get too hot!
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ stay cool and hydrated!!!
The horrible heat is definitely a factor of my desire to write in the night😅
Ooooooh maybe that's why I've been feeling this second wave of inspiration too! My brain has finally cooled down bahaha.
Thank you for this, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I have given up on doing Camp in July, to start it was b/c my old laptop kept overheating, now it's just me overheating.
About 3pm on your average day between may and September when the indoor temp reaches 34c my brain shuts down for the day and there's nothing I can do about it. There's no ac and sleep needs to happen when it is possible b/c neighbours etc, so this owl is forced out of bed at 6- 6.30, and still not functional before 9am. But the real killer is the humidity (70-80% on an average day which adds 10-20 degrees to the heat index) and drinking enough electrolytes.
I still have not worked out what to do about it, so I'm permanently out of sync with myself and I can't wait for October. Summer is just one long endurance test. I miss writing at night so much it hurts.
I have a hard time writing in the summer and winter. I live in Minnesota, so when it’s winter I mean, who knows how cold it will be and in summer, same thing but how hot is it gonna get is always the question. But I’ve always had trouble with my creativity when a season just drags on too long and idk why my creativity is seasonal but it is. Glad I’m not the only one. Like rn, I thought of a great story idea but when I went to type it out my brain forgot how to describe everything and dialogue is just a mess. This happens every year and yet I’m surprised each time.
This year I've been feeling out how I respond to the seasons because I finally live somewhere that I have more seasons than summer and a little break from summer.
It's reminded me of summers growing up (I had seasons) and I'm trying a very free form summer with no pressure (obviously chores because...yeah) and I've been enjoying the headspace.
I know that once autumn hits I'll be very happy to have a schedule again but I'm enjoying not fighting the heat for attention span. Plus, I've still been getting in a lot of work on projects but I'm not pushing myself through the effects of the heat so I can be done whenever I'm physically done. I've also been randomly inspired to do some reorganizing and rediscovery which is weird and unexpected.
Love the new thumbnail!
Ahhh thank you!!! I kept worrying it was too chaotic, but was like, GO FOR IT, WHY NOT bahaha.
I am working on the anchor habit of all anchor habits: sleep time. I often feel like no other habits can fall into place if I can't get my sleep schedule right.
I miss the dry heat of Texas-I live in Florida now-swampy sticky hard to breath heat. I don t miss the grass burrs At All. Really enjoy your writing sessions-keep up the good work!
In summers I write early morning or late at night while it's cooler. Usually I'm an afternoon writer.
I love the comment about "filling the well" before doing creative stuff by listening to audiobooks or something in the morning chores. Stay cool in that heat with your doggos! Also, I died at your comment about sleep hygiene and putting away your phone because I made that a goal for myself in January this year. I actually follow through, on average, about 1 day a week 😬 That's fine, we're cool, that's fine
This video was incredibly inspiring 🥰 thank you so much!!
I grew up in Oregon but I live out in the Austin, Texas area. For me as a neurodivergent, the Texas heat is debilitating. 100 degrees? I feel like my brain is melting and like my IQ shoots down to single digits 😭
I have to make a concerted effort to stay out of this heat because I just become a completely non-functioning human being. Going to pools or water parks is fun though and I always miss it until summer comes around.
I have clinical depression, but also suffer flare ups of seasonal depression... And seasonal depression for me is in summer. I embrace winter and fall and spring, but summer and I are not friends.
2 things: I thought your hair looked great all the time and next time try maple frosting with your spice cupcakes. #bossy Thanks for the video, Kate!
I'm not a fan of summer, either, even though I'm a gardener and everything is lush and beautiful and growing. But it's too bright and too hot and good quality sleep is hard to come by. It's a strange paradox. We don't get your Texas heat here (I would dissolve on contact in that kind of heat) but I'm still thinking wistfully of frost and cardigans. :D
I find writing and being creative during summer so difficult! Especially when it gets so hot that it becomes difficult to sleep at night, I find I end up using up the little energy I have at my dayjob with not much left over for my own projects :( I've been trying to write in the mornings instead, since the sun is up by like 5am here and usually wakes me up, but I'm still struggling with actually bringing myself to do this, especially on nights when I don't sleep much. Just gotta keep trying though, I'll get used to the heat eventually.
Summer is my least favorite season and everyone is shocked when I say so! I'm in Maine and the summers are so hot and humid! The heat makes me so temperamental and I HATE it! 😂
103 degrees! Omg! We don't get anywhere near that in the UK.
I tried doing an evening writing routine & hard nope. I need my mornings. I'm a morning person. Teenage/Earlytwenties me is appalled.
TBH, I don't spend much time outdoors no matter what the weather for various reasons, so my clothes change more than my routine. (Shorts and tank tops for the win babeeee!) I live in the Wasatch mountains so it's hot but dry in the summers, and cold and dry in the winters. The few times I've been somewhere with humidity it's felt like breathing soup.
Kate! I have a question for you. I want to do a series of "I tried this author's routine" videos, but I'd like to do Authortube etc authors. Would you be okay with me doing a video about trying this routine? (Any writers who want to share your routines, please do!)
Absolutely, please do!! That would be so fun.
Awesome!
Cassandra
YESSSS thank you!
Suffering with you in the soggy Alabama inferno
OMG NOT SOGGY. That's the best (and worst, I have recoiled lolol) description. Too perfect.
Hello my friend 😊103 😅 take care 😊
Thank youuuuuu! We lucked into a bit of a dip in temperature last week, but we're supposed to be back up to 103 today. 🙃😭