Since starting me new WIP last week, I've written a whopping... 1,193 words.
Pathetic.
After staring at the computer screen yesterday for about fifteen minutes and not typing a word, I was left wondering, well, first of all, what the heck's my problem??? then second of all, how do we find inspiration?
Immediately I came up with a zillion things we can do to find ways to help us along in our writing. There's of course the easy ones: read, go on a walk, people watch, do a writing exercise, and the most obvious: write anyway, even if it's crap.
I should've done the last one. Instead I walked away, choosing to finish the book I was reading.
There's other things I've done in a jam when I don't know where to go with my WIPS: brainstorm with someone, character studies, and something that works extremely well for me- cleaning or doing some other mindless task that let's my mind float free and come up with different ideas.
So the main question I have for myself is: Why didn't I do any of those things? Why haven't I for the last two weeks? Again- what is my problem???
Ahhhh, if only I had the answer. I don't. But I do have a determination to make next week a better one than the past two. And hopefully, if I find myself stuck with what to write next, I'll come back and read this post and try one of the things I mentioned to get me going.
I'm sorry you're going through a dry patch, Melanie. Hang in there. You'll get your mojo back soon!
ReplyDeleteStarting a new story is definitely tough! I get in ruts like this where I just have to either take a break or whip out my handy dandy book of writing prompts and force the words out until they start to flow again!! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI am in your exact situation! Just started a new WIP, and it's stubbornly digging in its heels. I can't get it to go anywhere at all.
ReplyDeleteLove your suggestions - might try cleaning. I've been meaning to do laundry anyway...
You should be like the guy in Finding Forrester who got his inspiration by taking the first few sentences of someone else's writing and then writing beyond that. You can always go back and change their sentences or get their permission so you're not plagiarizing. I love that movie...maybe watching that movie would inspire you? Such a great movie about writing. Now I'm going to have to watch it tonight (good thing I own it)!
ReplyDelete...dry spells make up the monster of our passion. As storetellers, we trudge through it, in search of that inspiration within the sticky muck. Its out there. Keep searching, I promise its out there ;)
ReplyDeleteEl