Have you felt the writers “surge,”
(the rate of change of acceleration) or do you even know what I am talking
about? Let’s say you have an idea and you start to write something, maybe what
you are writing is a book, maybe not. At first everything is fresh and
exciting, the words just flow and then one day they stop. You stare at an empty
white page and wonder to yourself, what happened---where did the words go?
Everything you write is stale and boring. You have become bored and maybe you
even blame it on your muse. You just sit there and write stupid words that make
no sense then you get up and do something else for a while, only to return to
the same empty page. Backspace and delete are starting to become your most
common keys. Does this sound familiar?
How do you deal with the lazy state of
your creative mind? I do not have the answer, but I think our brains work on
absorbing electrical currents or stimuli. Try picking up a book and reading whenever
you can, before bed works the best for me. I have found myself often absorbing
the creativity from other author’s words at night while I am asleep. They seem
to enhance my own creativeness and send a “SURGE” of renewed life into my
words. I think of myself as a kind of Dr. Frankenstein as I write this----- "My words were dead, so
I found other words that promised life, stuck them together, gave them a jolt
and created a new idea."
Maybe this idea sounds a bit crazy, but it comes from
someone who is happily writing in a “Surge” of refreshed optimism. On the other
hand this whole surge thing could be the lack of sleep created by the “Viking” mice
in my walls and too much coffee. What do you think?
Please check out what other writers have to share with you today by clicking my banner for The Insecure Writers Support Group on my side bar. If you are here to visit my post for The Resurrection Blogfest come back later or check out this LINK
On another note, please check out this link: Wayman Publishing where I am their featured author!
On another note, please check out this link: Wayman Publishing where I am their featured author!
16 comments:
Yes, yes, yes! I soooo "get" this. Such a great post, Siv. I've never tried to solve this issue, I've just pushed forward and hoped the surge came back... but maybe I need to read at night! I love the idea of other author's words helping my creativity while I sleep. And Surge is such a great term for those moments!
I started NANO with a surge and now I'm slipping into the white page area. I knew it would come, filling in the little details takes a lot more time, but are necessary. I just hope I can keep the dialogue and the descriptions going, but it's hard when research becomes a big part of it.
Good post!
I am stuck big time with a deadline looming. I wish I could harness my Muse and hold her hostage until I'm done.
I do love those "surge" moments when everything flows like a gentle river with strength and a little bit of kick.
You just described my entire writing career - huge surges forward, complete stops, huge surges again. I'd love to be a steady, 1000 word a day writer, but I don't think that'll ever happen. My writing seems to thrive on the angst of non-writing!
Been there, done that. Moved on, thankfully.
Oh yes...the surge is all too common. I thought I was the only one who had that.
Thanks for visiting my page!
That sounds very familiar. I love the new beginning of a fresh idea, but when the creativity runs dry...I need help. I usually enlist a partner to help with brainstorming.
I'm in a revolving door that pauses here often.
Oh yah. I've seen that *white page* more than a few times. I run out of words--or they were eaten by a Mus.
Yes! Very familiar. The WIP I'm working on now languished for over two years before the SURGE returned. I've blogged a bit about that recently, including the slow-down I'm trying to overcome right now.
One thing I find that helps: I don't try to write in strict sequence from start to finish. If I get stuck, I look for a point later on in the story that excites me, maybe just a scene that I know I will need, and start from there. I then find I can come back and fill in the gaps later.
Hi Siv
I love the word 'surge' to describe writer's block and I absolutely agree that reading someone elses work is inspiring. I sometimes keep a notebook nearby to job down new words, or new ways to us a word. Great post.
Nancy
My speed definitely goes up and down. The slower stuff is most often when I'm really distracted--a lot on the brain. Yesterday I only wrote 89 words for NaNoWriMo because I was obsessed with election stuff. I just gave into it... Allowed myself the day of obsession. Hopefully I can get going again tonight.
"My words were dead, so I found other words that promised life, stuck them together, gave them a jolt and created a new idea."
Holy cow! How did I miss that line when I read the book?! I guess that happens when you fall asleep while reading... I totally get what you are talking about. The first time it happened to me, I had no idea of what to do, but by now I have a system... I have many works or ideas in progress and whenever I feel that one project has become dull or I get stuck with a problem I can't solve, I simply switch to another project. That way I feel I'm always working. =)
I call it the 'groove'. I love reading before bed. I sleep so much better.
I get the surge watching movies. Yes, odd I know!
Sorry it's taken me so long to get here today, Siv. I think everyone posted for the IWSG today.
First! Congratulations on being a featured author! Oh I get those surges, usually when I'm out for a walk or swimming. Then I rush home and can't fit it in and stare at an empty page. BUT sometimes, rarely, I get going and it sounds like you've found your surge and are enjoying the jet stream. Long may it last :)
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