Most times, ideas flow freely. I'm lucky in that respect. I can come up with a story just looking at a person. I can easily imagine the guy who bought his new jacket in the X store, only because there was a cute girl working the register. Maybe he was too shy to ask the girl out because she's ten years older and six inches taller. Or the bus driver; he just lost his wife and his daughters don't know yet. He can't locate them because they moved on bad terms and didn't leave a forwarding address. They're going to get around to it. Whatever. Another method I use frequently is to devise a situation and go from there. Imagine a man waking up to discover he's the only one alive. Okay, it's been done a zillion times but you get the point. Being a writer justifies me for having a retarded mind that is always drifting, always wondering, and usually searching. But there are times when I stare at the screen clueless.
What do you do when faced with a void?
This past week has been rough. I've been doped up with the aforementioned Hydrocodone because of oral issues. When you couple a toothache with an earache, finding a will to write is next to impossible. Oh yeah, the headaches are back as well. Maybe health issues give me a pass. I'm easy. But sometimes, the creativity simply isn't there. I don't want to label it as Writers' Block, because it isn't. A block is easy to fix. Go for a walk, people watch, invent a scenario and go. It's that easy. You may write crap, but you'll write and sooner than you think, gems show up. The same goes for composing. What bothers me is having the right frame of mind to write. The mood has to be just so. For me anyway.
Oh, I'm with you. The mood has to be just so. And if anything ached, forget it! A toothache and an earache? I'd milk that for a loooooong time. ;)
ReplyDeleteI so hear you on that. Same with editing. We're on Thursday and I have yet to open the manuscript my editor returned on Monday. Mood's just not there. But as long as it eventually comes, it's ok. I think we have to give ourselves permission to take breaks from time to time.
ReplyDeleteYou have to push through that sometimes. I think we can put ourselves in the mood to write if we try. Sort of like when you force yourself out of bad mood, you recognize it first and then change it.
ReplyDeleteOf course, none of this applies when you feel sick. There is just no way out of that. Just wait it out and don't worry!
My writing seems to be stopped by emotions so I guess I have to avoid those.
ReplyDeleteI haven't really gotten "stuck" yet but when I do, I think I just pick up a book or watch t.v. or go out and have fun. If the writing does not flow...I won't force it too. Best of luck in getting inspired Mr. Charlie.
ReplyDeleteMy apologies for not returning comments, and visiting your blogs, in a timely manner. I will in the coming week. I'll spare you the details as to why a basic root canal turned complicated except to say that the dentist thought my case could be included in a textbook for extremely rare conditions. That's so nice to hear right before the procedure! He said it was genetic and to blame my parents.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm starting to feel human again. My wife is taking me to see Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman tonight.
I sure know how that feels...what's worse, is when I have a story--at least a direction and a sketch and can't seem to come up with the right mood to focus and put it down in words. Maybe it's a lack of enthusiasm or simple distraction. I've experienced it before, and I work through it, but those non-writing times alarm me...
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