I have a friend who blogs about something every day. It's a political blog, so of course there is plenty to say, but a blog a day...really? I can't imagine it. That's why I agreed to blog with Romancing the Genres. One blog a month for each writer is very doable, and it doesn't drain my creative juices.When it comes to writing, I find it can't be forced. It needs to flow from inspiration. Sometimes when I sit down to write I get stuck. That's when I go for a walk, dust the house or rake leaves; any mindless task that will keep my body moving but let my brain wander free. I work out the plot, come up with a new scene or sometimes, a whole new book. Then, when I'm back at the computer, I can't type fast enough to fill the pages.
At my day job, I'm an editor for the eyewear industry. So I'm writing articles, editing articles and shooting pictures. (That's me working in the photo.) Then, in the afternoon when my real work is done, I switch gears and write novels. It's my passion and doesn't seem like work at all but there's only so much time and creative juice to go around...at least for me. So writing a blog a day would mean something would suffer. But writing a blog a month...that gives me plenty of time to come up with something I really want to write about and I can do it when the inspiration strikes...on a plane, during a walk, in the middle of writing a press release.
How do you keep your creative juices flowing? Can you write everyday, whether it's a blog or working on your novel? Share your tips for staying in the creative flow.
7 comments:
Hi Christie,
I'm like you; movement helps me access my subconscious. I get up to do laundry or a housecleaning chore or take a walk every so often throughout my writing time.
Filling the creative well is important for me as well. For me, this means new experiences, reading a good book, visiting new places, connecting with nature, etc.
Great post!
Thanks Sarah.
Filling the creative well is important. I, too, love to read, but I find it hard to read and write at the same time. I worry that the other author's voice will creep into my writing. So I save up a stack of books I want to read. When I finish a novel, I dive into that stack. That is my reward for finishing. I can look at that stack while I'm writing and think, "When you are done, you get to read that book." It helps me keep going. My only exception is when I'm flying for business. I can usually read one book per trip and since I'm not writing at the time, it doesn't interfer.
Happy writing, Christie
One of the reasons I love National Novel Writing Month or NaNo for short is that I do write every day. I just put my 2K words on the page (and if I'm inspired it is more than that) but I do write 'something'. And I do Not go back and read what was written the day before other than the last 1 or 2 paragraphs if I'm having problems remembering the tone/flavor.
However, when I'm polishing - that's a whole different story. I may not be at the keyboard every day but my mind is working on the story line, plot, character development, word choice, descriptions, setting, the weaving of future books, etc. and I am up and moving - walks, laundry, etc. or I'm reading voraciously to see how another author handles the issue I'm attempting to solve.
I love that I just seem 'to know' the book to read that will teach me what I want to learn - sometimes without me even knowing it was something I needed to learn. (LOL)
You have a sixth sense, when it comes to writing, Judith. Very cool.
I've found that like all exercise, the best way to make things happen is to--sad as it seems--create a routine. Thanks for making me think!
Hi Christine,
Nice blog. I find that reading or watching a movie on TV often gets my creative juices flowing.
Regards
Margaret
I too have to think hard for interesting blogs. So many of us blog and most of us talk about the same issues, because we all face them.
I am just about to head off on my afternoon walk. It's overcast and warmish here in NZ. Spring really does want to arrive. If I'm stuck in a scene a walk lets me think clearly. Most of the time I have to hurry home to get down on paper the solution I've come to.
I keep a file of interesting blog topics, and load them into it when I think of one, so that I have a pool of ideas to draw from.
Post a Comment