Thursday, January 27, 2011

Staying Inspired & Beating Writer's Block

I have never had writers block.

No, really.

I keep a notebook of running ideas.  If my flow dries up on one and I feel sick of it, I move on to another idea or blog for a bit! lol  (yes, that's what I'm doing right now!! lol)

The other thing I have found, for anything I want to do well (including being more at peace and a little less crazy as a working mom as well as parenting), I have to read something about it every day.  I know that's a lot, but it works!  It keeps ideas fresh in your mind.  If you read a little about parenting techniques every day, you'd have that fresh in your mind.  You'd be reminded to stay on track.  The same thing applies to writing and  growing as a person.

I read from a variety of sources for writing, but right now primarily from :

The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
The Fire in Fiction by Donald Maass
The Newbie's Guide to Publishing by Joe Konrath

All of these are in my carousel on my main page too, so you can see the covers. (visuals are good!)
Every time I pause to read a chapter (while eating, waiting for my tea water to boil, in the bathroom....) I feel like running to my keyboard or grabbing up my notebook and jotting down ideas.  Works every time.  Even if you only have 3-5 minutes, it helps.  It reminds you that you are a writer and what you're supposed to love doing.  I also read these while on the stationary bike (can you tell I am not a time-waster?? lol I do double-duty and multi-task whenever I can as I'm sure all working moms do!!).

My personal read every morning is
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach 

She always makes me feel better about myself! lol I have read this off and on for years but 2011 is my second consecutive year of reading it---there was no putting it aside at the end of 2010, I had too much going on and felt like I managed better when I had a bit of advice every day.  One thing that both Sarah Ban Breathnach and Julia Cameron of The Artist's Way fame have in common is that they both suggest writing as a brain drain every day (or as frequently as possible; Sarah is a little more sympathetic here!)

For 2011, I think I will re-institute this idea.  I have so much going on, it can only help!!

What's your inspiration?  How do you beat writer's block?

No comments:

Post a Comment

Be a dear: don't spam me!

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...