Going through a rough patch
There comes a time in any project when we hit a rough patch and things grind to a halt. It can be a minor setback and, if we’re lucky, we have the tools in place to deal with these, shall we say, roadblocks along our journey.
I think, for some people, it’s difficult to understand the creative process, the fact, as writers, we often rely on a muse (in whatever form that takes). So trying to explain to someone there’s a ‘block’, that nothing is pouring out where once it was flowing…well, it gets tricky.
There are many reasons the creative process might break down. It could be that we have too many thoughts swirling around in our heads; the characters, their story, background and plot ideas, and we literally don’t know where to start. It might also be a case of staring at nothing because the ideas have dried up, or the fact we’re mentally, emotionally, or physically exhausted (perhaps all three). Whatever the reason, we can be our own worst enemy. We want to write, but are not in the right place, even if we convince ourselves we must.
The tools we build to help us through the rough patches vary, and include things like;
- Stepping out of the environment
- Rest and Relaxation
- Reading
- Listening to music
- Exercise – to get the energy flowing
- Writing exercises – such as prompts, free writing and fun challenges
Talking to friends also gets us out of a funk. Or chatting to someone who understands and can lend an ear. Almost like finding a ‘sponsor’ when we’re going through writing withdrawals, and we need a pep talk to figure things out.
Thanks for stopping by
Mel
Melissa Barker-Simpson 