Recently, one writer in my writing groups voiced a desire to write about more than stories from her past. She said, “I want to learn how to write about other things besides my personal history and I don’t know where to begin.” I suspect there may be others who have a similar interest, so I’m going to share what gets my pen moving across the page.
To begin, I highly recommend learning – or revisiting – the process of “timed writing”, described by Natalie Goldberg. Two of her books that are full of suggestions are: Writing Down the Bones, and Wild Mind. She suggests a minimum of 10 minutes of writing without stopping or editing, just letting the words flow onto the page. Each book has brief descriptions of the process before suggesting another writing prompt, and she includes her own writing to illustrate what emerged for her. Here’s just one example, “Tell me everything you know about potatoes…….” Write for 10 minutes, GO! Don’t stop, don’t think.
A Gateway to Creative Flow
Writing in this way bypasses the internal critic, that inner voice that likes to nag and tell you that you’re not a very good writer, that you really have nothing to say, that no one will ever want to read what you write. Sound familiar? I have found the timed writing process to be healing and energizing. As you become more familiar with this process, try writing for longer periods of time – 15 or 20 minutes, or more.
Taking this one step further, I host a writing circle called PRIMORDIA based on timed writing, where we gather in a small group, ground and centre ourselves, then write for 40 – 45 minutes without stopping. It’s usually quite a joyful romp, a time to let the words fly out of your pen without any judgement or criticism. Afterwards, we choose a portion of what we’ve written to share within the circle. As both the facilitator and a participant, I’m often surprised at what is on my page by the end, and it’s affirming to have others in the circle listen for what’s strong in whatever I have shared. Fresh writing at its finest.
Believe it or not, the first draft for this post was created during my most recent Primordia group. I wasn’t sure what I would write about, but after 45 minutes, I had a complete draft and time for feedback from my fellow writers. A great way to overcome procrastination and that feeling of, “I don’t know what to write.”
Curiosity as a Creative Spark
Another inspiration for my writing is curiosity, arising from close observation of the natural world, people around me, or the thoughts in my brain. A writing prompt I’ve used many times over is, “I’m curious about ….” I believe that curiosity is an essential ingredient for all creatives, and this practice nurtures my wonderment. I’m content to be curious and ask questions, without having to know the answers.
It turns out I’m more interested in the mystery of not-knowing than I am in the “facts” laid out in a linear fashion. You might want to start by making a list from the heading, “I’m curious about ….” And let your mind roam freely; be curious about EVERYTHING!
The Practice of Short Stories
When all else fails, I turn to writing 100-word stories (or 50-word stories), whatever I have the capacity for. After my sister Annette died, I started writing 100-word stories about times I spent with her, memories of time together, observations about her life choices. Encapsulating her life in these short vignettes felt like a way I could honour her when I didn’t have many words. I may eventually return to these stories and combine them, but for now, I’m content to have written them down.
Should you try to write from a new source of inspiration, you may feel self-conscious, ungrounded, at a loss for words. I can relate! Since I’ve come home from my 3-month silent retreat, I feel as if I am returning from a land of few words. The realm of spacious retreat silence now has a bridge to the realm of putting words on the page. I’m feeling rusty and self-conscious as well as curious and excited. I’m motivated to write, no matter who ultimately reads or sees my stories. I trust that if you’re reading this post, you’ll find your way to motivation and excitement about your writing as well. Keep your pen moving, don’t stop. Your words matter.
1 thought on “Where To Find Inspiration When The Creative Well Dries Up”
Thanks for your inspiration, Marie. I recently tried to turn up at my art table to draw for a hour every day. I found, after two days, that was too busy to sit away for an hour. I had forgotten Natalie Goldberg’s 10-minute writings to a prompt.
I am out everyday with my iCamera. I could choose one of my images to write about for 10 minutes or to draw for 10 minutes. I think the secret to getting started is to not make big demands on yourself. Even retired and not working to a schedule, I find that I am very busy! Ten minutes doesn’t seem like too much to ask.
Let’s see how this goes…
Cheers,
Darrell