Ever had writer’s block? Of course you have. You may just know it by a different name: “I don’t know what to write,” or “I’m not feeling inspired,” or simply “nothing is coming out today.” Low levels of inspiration happen to everyone. The question is what you do when they arrive.
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Writer’s Block May Not Be What We Think It Is
Writer’s block is a way to express how we feel.
We have felt like writing bazillions of words and so, when we feel like writing nothing, our tendency is to find someone or something to blame.
That tendency says something about the human condition.
Our first choice is to never look inward.
To never accept responsibility that requires making a change.
We assume it has to be stress at work that’s zapping our creative writing.
Or it’s our spouse, kids, or environment.
No wonder we can’t think of anything to write, we aren’t in a quant cafe!
Writers’ block, or the feeling of not knowing what to write, often shows up when the creative wave we were riding finally runs out.
The idea, concept, or momentum that carried us forward fades.
Artists feel this too.
One moment you’re fully immersed in creation, and the next you’re sitting still, wondering what happened.
First things first: most great creators don’t rely on inspiration.
They rely on consistency.
It’s not about only writing down or drawing what we believe will ultimately be incredible, it’s about simply writing.
Writing for writing’s sake!
I remember this clearly when I started writing a prequel to my brother Thane Keller’s science fiction novel Trials.
I rode the wave of inspiration for about 20,000 words.
Then it stopped.
No ideas. No plot direction. No characters. Nothing.
I was stuck staring at a blank page wondering how something so alive had suddenly gone silent.
I stopped writing all together.
I took a step back and realized I hadn’t yet broken through the surface of the story.
I was simply pouring myself out and became empty.
I faced what ultimately you are facing or what you are about to face.
I hit the wall between what was easy and what required real work.
I was standing at the boundary of what was given to me, and I had to make a choice.
Would I actually put in the work and effort to make this story come to life or start a new project and cast this one aside?
When the fog lifted and my despair became an irritation, I chose to keep writing.
Some days it was hard and I really had to force myself to make up a character arc, or add a new scene, or describe the environment.
Some days were easier and little pieces of ingenuity presented themselves just long enough for me to grasp them out of thin air.
As I trudged through this new battleground, as I paddled my way around the ocean of empty ideas, an incredible, magical, wonderful thing happened.
The little plot points I began developing on purpose began creating little waves in my creative ocean.
Word after word, sentence after sentence, the ocean ripples turned to waves once more.
And I have found by my own experience that these waves, although exciting and fun and worth surfing on, are the rarity.
The norm is the calm ocean, smooth as glass, beckoning me and you to work harder, to write more, and to give of ourself in new ways.
Creativity begs us to not give up when the going gets tough but instead to keep pouring ourselves out, even after we have been emptied.
Don’t stop when inspiration fades.
That’s often where the real work begins.
Consistency is the key.
When you don’t know what to create, keep creating.
You never know how close you are to another wave.
Do you ever struggle to be consistent in your writing? You’re not alone. Have you found ways that invigorate your imagination and bring back your motivation to write? Share your thoughts below!
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justthegameoflife
August 18, 2019This is probably my biggest problem. I havent found what I love writing about yet so I have tons of unfinished posts and ideas and just none of them call to me. But im not sure how to figure what I want to write about.
Rhys Keller
August 18, 2019You are not alone! I think it’s easy for us to get wrapped up into letting our work define who we are or become a basis for our identity. For example, I love picture books so I am a picture book author. But wait…I also love self-development! And MG! And YA! And science fiction! I think you’re just still in the valley of finding your passion. You obviously love to write, so I encourage you to keep writing, and I think in time what you love to write and your love for writing will come together with such force the world will take notice. Don’t give up to all those shiny distractions and keep writing! But also, you say “unfinished posts and ideas”. I challenge you to finish them. They don’t need to be perfect. But bring them to a close. Do the hard work of wrapping them up. Edit them. Share them. And then let them be free to benefit other people! It’ll remove a big burden from your shoulders of content just waiting and waiting on you.
Jolene Ballard Gutiérrez
August 16, 2019I love to work on various pieces, genres, and types of writing at the same time. I usually have at least one longer manuscript (MG or YA) that I’m working on, but writing shorter pieces like poetry or picture books allow me to take a break from my longer manuscript. By having multiple pieces in the works, I can always find something to work on, even if I’m stuck on one of my manuscripts. Stepping away from the manuscript I’m struggling with gives me some space, but my subconscious continues working on it.
Rhys Keller
August 18, 2019Being open to working on or starting lots of different pieces and ideas is a great way to keep writing and not get stuck in a writing funk. It is a fine balance between starting too many projects (shiny object syndrome anyone?) and working hard to complete projects. Any advice on what’s helped you stick to single projects, Jolene, like you did with MAC AND CHEESE AND THE PERSONAL SPACE CASE?
Jolene Ballard Gutiérrez
August 18, 2019You’re right, Rhys, you *do* have to be mindful of the pieces you choose to work on! I’m generally working actively on only two or three pieces at a time. I keep an ideas folder where I jot down topics, titles, etc. that come to me, and I’ll come back to them as time allows–this allows me to save those ideas and perhaps let them marinate, but they don’t disrupt my other work because I’ve documented them and move on. I also use deadlines to help keep me focused. I’m often reworking a piece that I’m planning to submit, and many submissions are time-sensitive. An editor might say, “Could you have this to me by next month?” or I may have a submission window because of a conference I’ve attended, so I focus my work based on those deadlines. Because I work at a school, the school calendar helps me impose deadlines for myself as well, like wanting to have a rough draft done by the time summer break is over, getting through edits during the week of spring break, etc., so setting these personal deadlines helps keep me moving forward. There’s also something to be said about putting a piece aside for a period of time so you can look at it with “fresh” eyes as you’re editing, and working on more than one manuscript can also help with that. Regarding MAC AND CHEESE, every time my editor Callie and I met, she had such great suggestions that I was always eager to get back to working on the manuscript. And once illustrator Heather Bell and art director Mira Reisberg came on board, I had this sense of urgency because others were waiting for my edits.
Rhys Keller
August 19, 2019Thanks for the great writing advice, Jolene!