Writers and Productivity: Don't Wait for Creative Inspiration
Writers often talk about waiting for inspiration or a visit from the muse before they sit down to work. They delay the creative process, perhaps inevitably, and definitely longer than necessary. But the best tip is this: Don’t Wait. As Pablo Picasso said, "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
If you wait until you’re inspired to create something, days and weeks can pass without doing anything. A better approach is to make a routine that triggers your brain when it’s time to create. Setting up habits takes away the burden of deciding to begin.
For example, you could try to write at the same time each day, if possible. Sit in the same place. Lots of writers have a favorite mug filled with coffee or tea nearby. Light a candle or listen to the same music. Have your laptop open and ready to go or write by hand with a favorite pen. (Purple ones are my personal favorite.)
Whichever ritual you create, choose something that signals it’s time to begin, even if you don’t feel like it. Particularly then! At the appointed time, get to work. As Stephen King says in On Writing, “This isn't the Ouija board or the spirit-world we're talking about here, but just another job like laying pipe or driving long-haul trucks.”
Your routine might change for different parts of the process, and that variety can be a good thing. For example, I might brainstorm ideas outside or a café, draft by hand in my favorite comfy chair, and proofread at a desk which signals focused concentration.
But what if you are just . . . stuck?
Try one of these: Reread a page from yesterday. Answer a writing prompt. Ask one of your characters how they feel about a scene and record their response. Jot down some random thoughts about your work-in-progress. Re-type the ending of your last scene. Do anything to get over the hurdle of beginning.
Because when you start, a funny thing happens: the inspiration you are waiting for arrives. This is more reliable than any fickle muse. You are training yourself to work, and your rituals will create their own magic. A routine will guarantee you more success than inspiration every time.
If you wait until you’re inspired to create something, days and weeks can pass without doing anything. A better approach is to make a routine that triggers your brain when it’s time to create. Setting up habits takes away the burden of deciding to begin.
For example, you could try to write at the same time each day, if possible. Sit in the same place. Lots of writers have a favorite mug filled with coffee or tea nearby. Light a candle or listen to the same music. Have your laptop open and ready to go or write by hand with a favorite pen. (Purple ones are my personal favorite.)
Whichever ritual you create, choose something that signals it’s time to begin, even if you don’t feel like it. Particularly then! At the appointed time, get to work. As Stephen King says in On Writing, “This isn't the Ouija board or the spirit-world we're talking about here, but just another job like laying pipe or driving long-haul trucks.”
Your routine might change for different parts of the process, and that variety can be a good thing. For example, I might brainstorm ideas outside or a café, draft by hand in my favorite comfy chair, and proofread at a desk which signals focused concentration.
But what if you are just . . . stuck?
Try one of these: Reread a page from yesterday. Answer a writing prompt. Ask one of your characters how they feel about a scene and record their response. Jot down some random thoughts about your work-in-progress. Re-type the ending of your last scene. Do anything to get over the hurdle of beginning.
Because when you start, a funny thing happens: the inspiration you are waiting for arrives. This is more reliable than any fickle muse. You are training yourself to work, and your rituals will create their own magic. A routine will guarantee you more success than inspiration every time.
IWSG Blog Hop
| Every month, the Insecure Writers Support Group hosts a blog hop with an optional question. Special thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and to this month’s co-hosts, Diedre Knight, Tonya Drecker, Bish Denham, Olga Godim, and JQ Rose. |  |
Question of the month:
Have you ever read a line in novel or a clever plot twist that caused you to have author envy?
Have you ever read a line in novel or a clever plot twist that caused you to have author envy?
All the time! A poetic turn of phrase, a cry-worthy scene, a surprising sequence of events -- that's why I love to read. "Comparison is the thief of joy," Theodore Roosevelt said, but good writing can also bring happiness. Mary Oliver's poetry is a current favorite. How about you?
RSS Feed
