One of the problems with being a writer is
that we have a dysfunctional relationship with the Well of Ideas. Sometimes it will overflow and we'll get
frustrated because we have no way of keeping up with the flow; we'll take as many notes as we can in hopes of having something in the dry times. And the well of ideas will run dry,
driving us crazy because we can't figure out how to reconnect to the flow.
It'd be great if it was a nice even
flow. But let's get real: It doesn't work that way and probably never
will. We can never really tell when inspiration will strike and for how long it will last. Because of this, we need to figure out ways to keep at it when we aren't under the effects of the inspiration.
You've got to figure out how to deal with all that frustration while still writing.
Preparing For Famine
Here's where we get to take some inspiration from the Bible: A pharaoh once had a dream of seven fat cows and seven sick cows; once Joseph translated the dream, the dream was a vision of seven years of feast followed by seven years of famine. The pharaoh ended up putting him in charge of preparing for seven years of famine and so Egypt not only survived the famine but flourished. When it was over, Egypt was the most powerful nation thanks to its preparation.
When we're inspired, we tend to take a lot of notes. Between outlines, plot suggestions, character concepts, and even questions for research, we tend to do a lot of writing just to prepare to write. Here's the cool part: If we fully explore the idea then we have a lot of material we can use. Once we've written the story itself, we still have all of our notes; those notes become our preparation against the famine ahead.
We can use those notes once we lose our steam to pick it up again. Just as Joseph put grain and other foods in silos to ensure there was food during the famine, our notes ensure that there are ideas when we are not inspired.
Taking A Break
We need to occasionally get away from
the laptop and just essentially be us. This is why when you start
talking to writers, you see a lot of them living in isolated
areas. We love to be up at 6 AM in the morning because nobody's
there. We know where all the really great ruins in a city are because
no one is there. We love National Park, the Yellowstone Grand Canyon
because there's lots of areas where no one is there.We thrive on loneliness.
We need to get away from other people
and we need to be away from all the various distractions, and just
meditate for a little while. Some of us meditate through action
rather than peaceful thought, but the bottom line is that occasionally
we need to get away from things and nothing gets us away from from
everyone else than meditation. We need to recharge our batteries, so to speak, and that means getting away from other people and doing things that we enjoy. And don't think that you need to escape into the wilderness; a day spa, an out of the way bookstore, and even a steam room can do wonders for a person.
This is not to say that you should avoid people altogether. We all need that human touch, and that means that you should make an effort to spend some time with family and friends. Even just spending a few hours with family, even if it's just being there, is all you need. You need to link with actual people, and not just online; sometimes you need the actual physical touch of other humans in order to maintain your humanity, and nothing beats the hug of a parent or child. Sometimes a dinner with family or friends is empowering in its own right.
Returning To Basics
Lastly, you shouldn't be afraid to revisit the past. Sometimes you need to see how much you've changed; as we all evolve over time, it can be interesting to see exactly how we've changed. Sometimes it can be fun to look through old notes, seeing what stories still need to be told and which clues and details were never used to see if anything should be brought out into the light. Sometimes a trip down Nostalgia Lane can show us exactly how we've changed, for better or worse.
There's also value to be had in re-reading favorite books and re-watching old shows. We're always going to find stuff that we didn't see below, and sometimes the new perspective of where we are now gives us additional insight into what we thought we know, showing us a new angle into old material. Finding that additional insight makes re-reading the book more than worth it, and any new discovery helps to recharge us, inspire us to try new things.
So when you're feeling down, take some time off to get in touch with yourself. Make sure that when your inspiration is flowing you prepare for the drought, but remember to stop writing and enjoy life every so often. If you do nothing but writer it's going to wear you down after a while, and if you don't do something to regenerate, you'll wear away to nothing. So take some time off, spend some time with family, return to basics, even just watch some show you've always wanted to but haven't for whatever reason; find a way to take time time off and recharge.
Ultimately, if you don't take time off to recharge every so often you'll do nothing but wear yourself down to a mere stub. Take some time to recharge your batteries; you'll find that it keeps you going far longer and keep you sane at the same time. Take care of yourself and you will avoid burning yourself out, allowing you to pursue your writing life that much longer.
