I’ve been on a rant for a while on scams and ne’er-do-wells trying to separate you from your cash to keep you from marketing effectively so I think it’s time to get back to writing.
I’ll have more to say on the marketing side but writing is the number one priority. So let’s talk about that rhythm of writing.
What do you do when the stories aren’t coming? I’ve addressed this before but I think it’s a good topic to keep revisiting. Because there are times when you’re not going to have a single idea in your head. It happens.
It happens to me plenty. There are times when the stories are coming fast and furious and other days where nothing sounds fun to write about. Mostly I think it happens after I finish a story, especially a novel, but it’s okay.
Honest.
There’s this myth out there that writers have to be writing all the time, every day…it’s a bunch of crap. I grew up hearing that mentality and it makes absolutely no sense. Think about it. Think of a hobby, or even a career path and tell me those people constantly work on those things.
No–doesn’t happen. Even professional athletes take down time. They have to. You need time to recharge and time to do other things. Yeah, there’s the one in a million person who lives, eats and breathes one thing but I don’t call that healthy.
You need natural breaks for everything you do in life and writing is no different. I see my creativity like a battery. Sometimes it’s at full charge and I can knock out the words as fast as my fingers can type. Other times, I’ve got nothin’.
So what to do?
First, I like reading and watching movies. Engaging in stories by other people is a great way to give your creative side a rest and revel in other people’s creations. While I don’t usually get story ideas from those, it frees up my mind to descend into other worlds and I think it helps recharge my own creative battery.
I also firmly believe a little exercise helps the creative side too. I’m not saying you need to go run a marathon, but some physical activity helps. It can be a walk, gardening, building a shed, whatever trips your trigger, as they say. Get outside for some fresh air and go for a bike ride. Go swimming, paint a room, heck even go wander through the mall if that’s your thing.
I don’t know what it is, but physical activity gets my brain whirring and I get a fair amount of my ideas while I’m moving.
And if things still aren’t happening, try editing existing stories you have. That gets you in the mind frame of writing too. Or help some other writer edit their stuff. It gets you thinking in terms of words again.
The other thing I’ve noticed is that I have “seasons” of writing. At different times during the year I feel more energized toward writing, and I listen to those rhythms.
Bottom line–if the stories and ideas aren’t coming, don’t force something to happen. Learn your own patterns and rhythms and then listen to them. Write often but take breaks. That will keep you hungry to keep churning out pages and chapters.
Now I am going back to the keyboard. I have hit my rhythm and am writing Project Threshold Season 3 stories. They started coming a couple of weeks back and when I do start getting those ideas, I run.
Keep up the good work!
Craig