For anyone who works with words, dust bowl moments are bound to blow in.
For writers, there are days where our thoughts flow with ease. We get inspired, we create, we plot, and we write. We can’t pour out the nouns, verbs, and adjectives quickly enough. Creativity fills us, we break out our rafts, and we prepare to swim!
But what about those other times? Those parched treks in the desert times when our minds begin to play tricks on us? When our words mirror a mirage? When we tumble off our seaworthy rafts into the dry riverbed?
Well, I don’t know about other writers, but staring at a blank computer screen for very long just isn’t me. I simply can’t do it. I hate the feeling of wasting time. A sense of accomplishment is a big motivator for me, and to remain idle for very long drains me faster than a hot, July day in Branson, Missouri traffic.
I’ve learned to recognize the indicators and when dry, dusty gales threaten to blow in, here are some things that have worked for me:
- I change location. I go somewhere to feel inspired! (In the winter, it might be my local library or my favorite coffee hang-out. If the weather’s nice, I like to walk or visit the nature center or nearby parks.)
- Make a lunch date. Writing is a solitary profession and sometimes just getting out and experiencing that human contact can give me a fresh perspective.
- Network with other writers. I stay connected with what my writer friends are doing. It’s great to exchange ideas with others who love my craft as much as do. They’re also a super bunch of encouragers!
- Schedule a girls day out. Last November, I attended a two-day women’s conference with several women from my church. It was a fabulous time of worship, renewal, and self-assessment.
- Watch old movies. I don’t watch much television anymore, so when I do, it’s a treat. I always choose something motivating and uplifting. I love classics, comedies, and dramas, but if I’m already in a creative funk, I’ll rarely watch a tear-jerker.
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What are things that you do during those “dry as dust” times?
Comments 7
All great suggestions for when the riverbed is dry.
I also watch old movies, and I go out and take a long walk where I can see the sky and horizon…somehow this really inspires me.
Author
Loree, I especially like taking long walks on the beach during vacation. The sky and the horizon seem particularly beautiful then.
I can just picture you walking as you plot your next historical.
Usually my dry-as-dust times happen when I’m busiest at home with my kids. The creativity just has no room to flow. So I try to enlist my husband’s help once in a while so I can get more than a few minutes to myself and let my brain start ticking again. 🙂
Author
I well remember when mine were toddlers, Sarah, and “busy” was my “normal” mode at that time. Now, the days are a bit easier and my dry-as-dust times fewer and farther between, but sometimes, I still long for those early years when I was blissfully unaware of life beyond babyhood.
Hi Cynthia,
It sounds strange, but when I take a few hours to clean my house – the bathrooms, vacuum, etc.. – I usually find the ideas begin flowing.
Also, when I take a day or two to read a good book, it makes me antsy to get back into my own words and get writing again. I try to write every day, but I do find if I take a day or two off, and especially if I read, then there’s an influx of new or fresh ideas to work with.
Of course, prayer is the backbone. 🙂
Author
I agree with you about prayer, Kerry!
Sometimes, inspiration can come to us in a variety of unusual ways. That’s our Creator at work!
I just found this post, still sitting in my Inbox. Going for a walk, or just getting outside, or somewhere else for a change of pace is a big help for me. Looking at art supplies helps, too, the colors, textures, etc.