Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Remember that old nursery rhyme, Old Mother Hubbard? She went to the cupboard to get her poor dog a bone but when she got there the cupboard was bare and so her poor dog had none. It’s my day to blog today and I’ll have to admit, my cupboard is bare. Blame it on an excess of anesthesia and pain meds from my recent surgery or too much happening in our Books & Such family but I’ve been sitting here at my computer trying to think of something to share with you and I keep coming up empty. I’m suffering from a serious case of writer’s block. *blank screen*
Usually when I suffer from writer’s block I circle around and try to hit it from a different angle. Or I call up friends and ask them to brainstorm with me. So today that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’m going to circle around and ask you for help. I’m turning the mic over to you. What do you do when the cupboard is bare? How do you deal with writer’s block? Do you have any tricks to get over that dreaded blank page syndrome? *help*
You know, the first time I “blanked” I stuck one of my poems on my blog. Hey, it was already written and it had been published so I knew someone thought it was pretty good . . . Turns out my blog readers LOVE it when I post poetry. I get more hits and I’ve even had other bloggers link to my poetry. My blank screen led me to discover a great “takeaway” for my readers.
I think, maybe, what works with the occaisional poem is that while it’s still within my blog scope of writing, it has a whole other appeal. Authentic, yet different. I know I’ve always enjoyed it when you draw parallels between your life as a doll designer and as an agent. It stays true to the intent of the B&S blog, while giving me a peek into one of your “other” worlds.
Interesting idea. I like that your moment of writer’s block led to a great discovery.
I’m not much help with blog ideas, but I took a workshop years ago that helped me get through writer’s block with my WIP.
The instructor told us he always sat in a cafe to write and he always wrote on a legal pad. He would start out with really big letters on top of the page writing “I don’t know what to write today. I have no idea what I’m doing with this…”
Little by little ideas would come and he’d start playing with them.
I do that when I’m stuck with a story. I start writing (or typing) something like this. “I don’t know what I’m doing with this scene. I don’t know how I’m supposed to make this sound any good. Maybe I could try letting her do … or what if I let him …”
That serves the purposed of getting me over my hurdle and into the story. It never fails to at least let me get something down on the page. From there I can rewrite.
In a sense, that’s what you did today and the result was asking us for ideas.
I hope you’re feeling better and that things settle down for the B&S family.
Yes, Mary. That’s the same thing I’m talking about. I do it too and it works rather consistently.
I do this too, and it works for me.
What an interesting exercise. It takes the pressure off and lets you explore. Thanks, Mary.
That reminds of a scene from Finding Forrester with Sean Connery, who plays the writer of the great American novel. He’s mentoring a young writer, who sits and stares at a blank page in his typewriter for hours. Finally Forrester gives the young writer one of his old stories and tells him to start typing it. Sometimes just the rhythm of typing or writing gets you from one line to the next. Of course, it gets the young writer in trouble in the movie … but we can go back and change the starts once we know where the scene is going.
Wendy, please know that I’ve been praying for your healing. Also I continue to pray for Janet, you and everyone at Books and Such as you grieve the loss of Janet’s husband.
One of the ways I deal with writer’s block, especially with the “blank screen” or clean white paper staring back at me is to mess up the page. That way, it doesn’t matter what I write since the page is already scrap paper that I can throw away. That somehow frees me. I don’t have to worry about writing something good and that helps me to write. So I just start off writing nonsense and after a while, somehow my brain and hand get into gear and the creativity starts flowing and the writing gets better. I used to do this on paper years ago, but now word processors make the whole thing a lot easier. Now when the writing finally starts flowing, I can just delete the nonsense.
Another thing that helps me is to get away from the writing for a bit and do a creative non-writing activity, either drawing or making music (I play a couple of instruments). That helps relax me and gets the creative part of my mind working in a way that’s non-threatening (I don’t have to produce).
The thing that helps me the most, though, is to pray. I thank God for the gifts of creativity, writing, music and art and then I ask for help and blessing. This never fails. But since God’s timing is different from mine, it sometimes takes a little longer than I would wish. When that happens, I go for a walk. Then come back and ask, “Okay, Father. Are you ready now?” Thankfully, God is indulgent and has a sense of humor!
Feel better, Wendy. Blessings.
You must share my struggle with perfectionism. I’m a recovering perfectionist. Messing up the page is a great trick.
But you are right that spending time with the Creator spurs creativity like nothing else.
LOL! Yes, I am a recovering perfectionist. I thought I was the only one who used that term. It’s nice to know I’m not alone.
Blessings!
Wendy, I hope you are resting, as defined by your doctor, not by any Type A business woman definitions. Cough hint. I can relate to the excess anesthesia feeling. I was glad that the friend who was helping me post-op was a policewoman, and knew how to deal with, umm, persons under the effects of *medication*. Thankfully, all video footage was deleted.
In all seriousness, you’ve all had some difficult things happen this summer, from the fires in Colorado, your surgery and the death of Janet’s husband and only you ladies know what else to add to that list.
There comes a point when the human brain just says “no more”. You’re dealing with sensory overload and the brain just wants to head to la-la land and deal only with vital functions.
I find my ipod to be a fabulous source of escape. My first stop is Susan Bullock’s rendition of the Welsh lullaby “Suo Gan”. After that, I head over to “Promontory” from Last of the Mohicans. Then I hop around between Travis Cottrell, The London Philharmonic, and various worship albums.
For some reason, music is the one thing that really kicks my writer’s brain into gear. I think if I heard God speak, it would be to music.
You’ve convinced me, Jennifer. We’re twin souls.
“If I heard God speak, it would be to music.” Absolutely. Maybe God even speaks in music.
My favorite theological image from a novel is in Tolkien’s Silmarillion when God creates the world by the angels singing in harmony. I’d like to think this is how God really did it.
I think I’m going to take a trip over to iTunes and check out your suggestions. I have a playlist I love to listen to that often gets me going.
Jennifer, I definitely relate to your comments on music bridging the gap for you from blank page to completed manuscript.
I listen to music nearly all the time and many different types from movie instrumentals to hymns to big band. I write historical fiction so it helps me to listen to music that was popular during the time period.
Also if I have a particular writer’s block moment, I tend to allow myself a short break for a walk, watching TV or having a snack and give myself a time limit to get back to that blank screen. It’s great to hear everyone’s tips. Feel better, Wendy! Take care of yourself!
How ironic that you actually came up with a blog post anyway. 😉
I have a lot of things to get me past writer’s block. I take a break. I take a walk. I listen to music. I watch a movie. I brainstorm with my critique partner. I read a book. A lot of times I’m very inspired by others’ creativity and feed off of it, for lack of a better phrase!
I’ve found in the last few months that I get overly critical of other’s books. There! I said it!! (Except for Wildflowers from Winter) So reading for a cure for writer’s block isn’t so good for me.
That’s one of the downsides of being a writer (or an agent) but when a book is good enough to make you forget your critical side, it’s such a joy!
Lindsay, that’s why it’s important not to always write too close to the deadline. *note to self* We need time to recharge!
You just steal ideas from your colleagues . . . I wrote a future blog on this subject yesterday!
Great. Does that mean I have to come up with another idea, now? 🙂
Michelle,
I look forward to your perspective on this topic.
I’m not going to feel a bit sorry for you, my friend. (Michelle comes up with fifty ideas every day before breakfast. she’s an idea machine.) We want to hear what you’re going to say about it. Knowing the six of us, we could all write on the very same subject and each would come up with an entirely different blog post.
Ya know, you should do that on a Friday. My job at the newspaper is as part of what is called “Community Triple Take”. Each of the three of us gets the same topic and you’d be amazed at the outcome!
Great idea, Wendy. And Jennifer, I like yours too. Friday is my blog day!
Mary, I hope you didn’t think I was turfing your blog day. Friday is a “fun day” on many blogs, and I forgot that you ladies have a schedule, as opposed to tossing the seriousness and partying like it’s a weekend , or something.
Walks away with hand slapped onto forehead.
Jennifer, I didn’t think that at all. I was tracking with you. It would be a fun Friday exercise.
Hope you didn’t give yourself a headache.
I’m still learning to deal with this, but three strategies (which are similar to what others have already mentioned) that seem to work decently for me are:
1. Write anyway, even if it’s junk. Or just observe the scene outside my window or what’s going on around me and describe it in detail.
2. Read worthwhile articles or books. Reading solid writing can help inspire.
3. Do something completely different, like cook, clean, or walk/play with just a topic in the back of my mind.
Of course, sometimes none of that works, and I just need to go to sleep. 🙂
Still praying for you all.
Great ideas for priming the pump.
Mom and I have a fail-proof method for dealing with writer’s block. We call my brother. Do you want his phone number? 😉
If he helps you come up with ideas like the ones I’ve seen and like your mother’s, his number would be worth a fortune. (Evangeline’s mom is the inimitable Donita Paul, author of Dragonspell and other almost-classics.)
You are blessed.
We are indeed blessed. We call him our Plot Doctor and sometimes our Secret Weapon. My hope is that one day he will finally get out of college (he’ll be done with his doctorate next year) and join the family business!
For me, blog post ideas often begin with photographs. So when the cursor blinks and words don’t come, I head over to iPhoto to see what I can find.
When it comes to novel writing, however, I do as several have suggested and just write, even if what lands on the page probably won’t stay there during the edit stage. There’s something in the process of putting sentences on the screen that will often free up whatever is stuck. If “stuck” happens in the middle of a scene, I will go at it from another angle, usually scrapping the scene and writing it from a different POV.
That “different angle” is a great suggestion. I can often trick my mind by sliding into an idea from the back door.
This is what I do too, look at inspiring photographs. I also take out giant stacks of photography and art books from the library. There always seems to be a story residing in images:)
Also…. mindless websurfing, pinterest, and if all else fails a nice nap. (Sometimes that means half-sleep on the couch while the kids watch a movie.)
I do this, too, like Kathleen, just browse my photos until something strikes (for blog ideas.) I keep a large collection of photos.
That’s one of the reasons I started taking my iPod with me everywhere because I could snap the odd or interesting photo, download them each day and then categorize them or put them in labeled file. I am thinking about journaling this way.
When working on fiction…I’m open for suggestions. Sigh.
Interesting how inspired we can get from images. I guess that is what accounts for the popularity of sites like Pinterest.
Kathleen,
I am the same way! I once wrote a blog called “Do You Have What It Takes To Be Chicken?” Inspired by a chicken photo and KFC. LOL!
It is encouraging that everyone feels the block every once in a while.
If I am not under a time crunch I will often read my WIP from the beginning. Then usually when I get to where I stopped I am flowing again.
If I am limited on time I will often call my writing partner and brainstorm where I am stuck.
And occasionally I will just push though and write a really bad scene. Somehow pushing through it helps me move on and then I will come back to that scene in a few days.
Tari, I think there’s real wisdom in letting yourself write “a really bad scene.” Sometimes that’s where a great new direction is birthed.
If I were an agent with blogger’s block, I’d go to my query pile and find a submission from a potential blockbuster talent (who could that be?) Then I’d call him … and I bet it would inspire me the rest of the week, never to have “the block” again.
Good try, Steve.
A shower. 🙂 I get the best ideas in the shower. When life is overwhelming, sometimes I just give myself permission to not write. But only for a day or so. In the moment, when a scene (haven’t started a blog. Yet. Soon, Jennifer!) isn’t flowing, I just write what thoughts I have with the promise of coming back to it later. Then, I move onto a scene I’m more confident about and write.
As has been mentioned, a walk, a movie, talking with a writing friend all help me move beyond writer’s block.
I’m praying for your recovery, Wendy, and for the B&S staff during this time.
Did you know there’s scientific proof that running water spurs creativity? I think it’s something to do with negative ions or something like that.
I’m a bath aficionado. I have a large spa tub and I call it my think tank. A few goodies from Lush and I’m set to brainstorm or read.
(I would have thought about that last night but I’m on bath restriction– that’s my problem!)
After 4 kids, running water only spurs one activity, and it has nothing to do ions.
I hope that bath restriction is lifted soon. I love baths and a good read. When I have time for them.
Jennifer, I was laughing out loud!!! 🙂
No one has mentioned setting the timer yet, so I’ll mention that one. If I set my timer for 25 minutes and I know I can’t move for that 25 minutes–I can sit and stare, or I can write, but I can’t eat or read or click on the internet–I end up getting a whole lot done. Every time.
Good trick! 25 minutes of typing I hate this. I hate this. Something is bound to break through eventually, right?
I torture my writing students with this, Sally. (She says with glee). They get excited when I tell them that they are going to do Freewriting, then I explain that the “free” part is that they don’t have to worry about grammar, punctuation or the right word. BUT they MUST write for 10 minutes without stopping, that once I say “go,” they must put pen to paper and not stop until I tell them to. No daydreaming, no stopping to think, no stopping for hand cramps (okay, I’m not THAT mean; I allow a brief break for it). The first time, they HATE that 10 minute exercise, but inevitably, most of them have “aha” moments as they write. After a few times with this exercise, most of them come to like it. I think it is an almost non-fail remedy to writer’s block.
I pick up a really good novel–could even be one I’ve read years ago, like one of Elizabeth Berg’s.
I write in my books, so I go back and re-read my favorite parts, listening for rhythm and paying attention to exactly what the author did to draw me in.
I’ll whisper my favorite lines over and over to myself. Like Berg’s Prologue from OPEN HOUSE.(A Ballantine Book, copyright 2000)
“You know before you know, of course. You are bending over the dryer, pulling out the still-warm sheets, and the knowledge walks up your backbone. You stare at the man you love and you are staring at nothing; he is gone before he is gone.
Whew! Nothing like reading great writing!
Great technique, Julie. Thanks for sharing that example–nothing is better than a concrete example. (And what an example!)
I guess the only downside would be throwing our hands up and saying, “I’ll never write that deeply with such a seeming sense of ease.”
So true, Wendy.
Because great writing is easy to read doesn’t mean it was easy to write.
Two things I do…
1) Get a running start. If I don’t know how to start a new chapter, I read a chapter or two before until I’m in the flow of the story. Then I can usually start just fine.
2) Give myself permission to write nonsense. I had to write a devotion on sheep for my Sunday school newsletter. I had no idea what to write. So I just wrote nonsense, knowing I’d delete it later. I wrote, “Sheep, sheep, sheep. Sheep are wooly. Sheep are dumb. Sheep need a leader.” Then I saw my angle, wrote the rest. Ironically, I kept my nonsense opening. I kind of liked it 🙂
I thought for a second you were going to suggest actually running. I mean, come ON. As the great Chuck Swindoll said, “exercise is a result of the Fall”.
I prefer cycling or hiking, in case you thought I resembled a pile of pancakes.
With fiction I often used the the running start. It would always work for me to look over what I had written the day before, do some edits and be raring to write new.
I love your devotion. Brilliant using the simple strokes to introduce us to the simple animal.
Sarah, now I know what’s behind the wonderful chapters you send to us–sheep! Don’t be surprised if you see “sheep” in my next chapter instead of the “blah blah” you taught me. 🙂
Wendy, great post and wonderful suggestions in the comments. Thanksm all! Helped me through a bit of writers block this morning.
Jennifer’s comment about running almost made me snort tea out my nose (Fortuna’s black tea with raspberry, Wendy). Um, no. Really, really wish I were a runner.
Judy, looking forward to how you’re going to bring sheep into your library story…
Now here’s a phrase I cannot use at all, “I made *thee* Sarah Sundin snort tea out her nose!”
It’s a brag worthy accomplishment, and yet…
Jennifer – I’m honored that you’re honored 🙂
I avoid the blinking cursor by reading blogs. 🙂
That can be a creativity booster or a huge time vacuum as you know. Blessing and curse.
Umm, I find it odd that this late in the day (well, here anyway) NOT ONE person has mentioned chocolate! Or Earl Grey tea. Or both together, simultaneously, at the same time, in tandem.
I just brewed a cup of Mighty Leaf Green Tea Tropical (my current fav) and thought the very same thing! (Great minds. . . )
Other creativity boosts: Republic of Tea’s Jasmine Pearls, Rishi’s Peach Blossom Oolong, Tea Forte’s Cherry Marzipan or Green Mango Peach.
And to think I used to be a coffee-holic.
Peach Blossom Oolong??? Mmmmmmm!!
I used to run a coffee bar in Vancouver, and I smelled like coffee 24/7. I still loathe coffee.
BUT!!! We had 165 different kinds of teas!!
Sorry. I am a coffee girl. I just finished some Junior Mints and a cup of cinnamon coffee. They may not spur creativity, but they keep it flowing. 🙂
Okay Jeanne. I have been thinking about this ALL day. I cannot get the cinnamon-mint-chocolate-coffee combination to be accepted in my brain. I’m sorry.
You could BLOG about the feelings of daring that Junior Mints have when combined with (ew) coffee. On your BLOG. Which is an online discussion forum. Known as a BLOG. Which is online. A home to many other BLOGS.
I clean my office. It’s hard for me to come up with anything creative while surrounded by clutter and unfinished To-Do lists.
I wholeheartedly agree. My office is always neat– I couldn’t work otherwise. I need to be surrounded by order and beauty. (I know. I know. Someone earlier today referred to Type A. . . )
Noooo. They did? How ru…totally accurate?
1. Listen to a good audiobook.
2. Find a good movie- something well written- and watch it.
3. Play with my kids.
One of these things will help.
And your kids will love you for it!
Be. Rest. Weep. Or laugh. Sip. Take a long drink. Water, spirits, or Spirit. Relax into it. Soon, it flows. If not, it is a very good thing. To simply be and savor…the moment, in the moment.
Hear. Hear.
Wendy,
I hope you are resting up every chance you get. I’m praying for you and Janet. Blessings.
Hmmm…that old nemesis, writer’s block.
When I am visited by that uninvited guest I head out my front door to start a photo essay.
Amador county where I currently live is a photographer’s dream. The Shenandoah Valley is ten minutes away. Just driving from one road to the next relaxes me and stirs creativity.
Depending on the season I’ll venture farther out to Pine Grove, Mokelumne Hill, or Murphys in Calaveras County.
Hwy 88 offers a breathtaking venture up past Silver and Caples Lakes, all the way to Lake Tahoe.
In the dead of winter I tend to stick closer to home. Even nearby Sutter Creek and Jackson get snow. And the historical pull of these areas is awe inspiring. I pray as I drive, sing along with my cd selections, and pull over whenever something amazing catches my eye ~ birds, flowers, rocky beaches, old barns, snow laden tree branches, antique cars or people, and asometimes sunrise or sunset.
Many of these dry spells have transformed a photographic image into poetry, prose and chapters in my books.
My neighborhood and even my own backyard many times has offered a new perspective through a photographic lens.
Kathy
How I’d like to join you on your treks. Murphys is a favorite destination for us. Their tea shop (Tea ‘N’ Tiques), the Spice Tin and the Kitchen shop are all must-stops.
I used to use museums as fodder for creativity but that was when we lived in a more metropolitan setting.
If there’s truly a season for everything, then maybe there are seasons for simply being still and saying nothing. So here’s to time to rest and be, and you did a good thing today, Wendy.
Thank you, Diane.
Here are a couple of brainstorming strategies that I try:
*Have a question jar that I can pull questions from when I’m stuck. What is your character’s goal in the scene? What is their favorite fairy tale? What is the worst thing that could happen to them in this scene? Where is the scene going to take place? (And More)
*I call someone and tell them all about my story. It has a way of getting you excited. Then you get to the scene you are one and talk a bit about it. Amazingly it comes to life.
*I try changing the POV person for the scene. Sometimes the one I’m using is too complicated until I understand the actions of the scene better.
Those are a few that I try.
When the Cupboard is bare, which, by the way is a brilliant title to come up with under the circumstance- I just pick up my pad and pencil and take myself off away from my usual working place. Usually something ends up on the pad, especially if I’m not trying. Take care of yourself, Wendy, and so sorry to hear Janet lost her husband.