Few people disagree that it’s hard to write when you’re uninspired.
While some might think, even feel, that to write is to suffer and creativity stems from that place, there are many who disagree.
I’m one of those people. When I’m sad, I find myself silenced.
So how do you write when the words don’t come? Here’s how:
Put Your Butt In That Chair
Many people believe that by forcing your buttcheeks into a chair and opening a page, you can encourage the words to flow.
I think this is both truth and untruth. For some, this can work wonders. And, for those who are well-practised in the bum-chair art, as soon as you sit down, you can feel the words beginning to bubble to the surface. They have learned to respond to the environment.
Don’t Torture Yourself
That said, sitting in your chair and not writing isn’t going to do any good. It’s like lying awake waiting to sleep — sometimes you have to move around and leave where you are so your body doesn’t think that not sleeping, not writing, is what we do here.
Change Your View
A change of scenery can do wonders for inspiration and for switching gears. Sometimes a simple walk or moving from one room to another can help. During the lockdown, I discovered the joy of gardening and the peace it brings to my mind. Find what brings you peace when you cannot write and embrace it.
Fix The Source
You might think you can’t write because you’re tired when really you can’t write because of stress. You might think the issue is a lack of interest in your plot when really it’s that you’ve run out of creative energy.
For me, the fountain of creativity is a fickle one — while the more I use it, the more it flows, it is also true that the more I worry about it, the less I can take from it. Work out what is stifling your source of creativity.
How do you write when you’re uninspired?
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