Writing can always be a tricky task. Sometimes the muse just isn’t having it. Unfortunately, she can be especially finicky during the Summer months when the bright sunshine, and allure of being outside seem much more compelling.

As a freelance writer, you have to be your own boss and shut down those notions, lest ye write not enough to pay thy mortgage. There are a lot of different tips and tricks to help. One powerful trick that works for those of that are married is to tell our spouse how much money is on the line with today’s writing assignments. Actually, saying it out loud often does the trick.

Another thought is to power through with music and a nice beer nearby. Refills require the completion of a certain project of the day. At that rate, there won’t be any issues with dulling of the senses.

For me, one part of the equation has always been big, thick, heavy drapes over the windows in my basement office. We moved to a different house, and I had to leave my old Curtains behind (curtains and anything attached to the walls counts as “part of the house”.) Fortunately, the previous owner left behind a pair of thick, over-sized red curtains that block the sun, and drag on the floor. Curiously, there is also a pair of floor dragging lace curtains behind them as well.

With the curtains closed, the sunshine stays out, and today is just another day.

Another summer day.

Another summer day with laughing kids tromping through the house.

Another summer day with officially less than one month to go before they go back to school.

Another summer day that I will never get back in the years ahead.

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You know, there will also be another summer night a little bit later on.

I don’t really need to watch any summer T.V.

I would like to do some leisure reading, but there is that long flight to Hawaii coming up in just a few weeks.

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Shhh! They don’t know I’ve loaded my Nerf dart guns and am getting ready to creep up the stairs.

Writing in the Summer originally published at Freelance Writing Blog of ArcticLlama.com