Blogger: Mary Keeley
Location: Books & Such Midwest Office, Illinois
When was the last time you went through a desert season in your writing, whether for a few days, weeks . . . or longer? Mere hours of creative void can be frustrating when you have a deadline looming. Let’s face it, being human, these creative dry spells are going to occur. But you can implement some initiatives to minimize the frequency and severity and to return to peak creative bloom.
Multiple factors may work together to trigger creative dryness. Some of them you may see coming, others strike by surprise. Of course the desert metaphor breaks down because people can take action to respond. The dry parched desert must wait until God sends abundant rain to soak the earth. You can use some simple alerts to test your creative barometric pressure and hopefully ward off, or at least minimize, a dry spell.
1. Are you getting enough sleep? Often adequate rest is under-valued because you have so many demands on your time. It’s good to take note of how you feel when you go to bed at night and when you wake up in the morning. Are you exhausted when your head finally hits the pillow? Do you have to drag yourself out of bed in the morning? Pay attention to these signs.
When necessary, I can go on five or six hours of sleep per night for up to five days. But I’ve learned that’s my limit, and I’ll need to rest up. Sleep is rain for a weary, parched mind. If you’re on deadline, you might think you don’t have time for the luxury of a nap. But it actually could be a shortcut to reinvigorating your creative thought.
2. Are you having trouble focusing? This often happens when many needs are pressing on you for an extended time. Relieve your brain of unnecessary weight by scheduling your to-do list on paper or on your smart phone and let the list remind you when it’s time to attend to another task. A rejection letter or negative feedback from an editor or agent can trigger insecurities and self-doubt. Pay close attention to your emotional reaction to negative news. Although you may not succumb to the sting at the moment, those thoughts can collect in the back of your mind. Allow yourself time to fortify your confidence by reviewing your successes and how much you’ve grown in your craft. It will help to prevent the seed of self-doubt and creative dryness from sprouting later.
3. Do you need to take a God break? Here is an exercise that has always helped me. Sit outside where you can see a large expanse of sky. Ask God to help you to visualize this as a glimpse of the vastness of who he is and of his equally great love for you. His creation that surrounds you is his gift for your pleasure and inspiration. Let the fresh awareness soak into your senses. Then read Psalm 139:1-6.
Are you at a place where your writing is vivid with color as the desert is in bloom after the drenching of life-giving rain? Or are you waiting for that rain? What do you do to get yourself out of creative dry seasons? Have you noticed a pattern of what causes you to enter into those arid times? Do they usually hit you by surprise, or can you sense them coming?
The only time in twenty years of writing it’s happened to me, chemo fog was to blame. And it did require a waiting period on my part. Five years of it. During that time I tried to write, but it always ended in frustration and confusion. I don’t think health-related creative dryness is what you’re addressing in this post (aside from lack of sleep), still, it can happen, and sometimes giving the body the time it needs to heal, or a healing touch from God in his time, is what’s needed. I endured a great measure of guilt and disappointment in myself during those five years post cancer, before I learned that what I was experiencing had a name, and was normal. I just wasn’t warned. If only I’d known years sooner, I wouldn’t have beaten myself up so badly for what I perceived as lack of discipline or laziness, neither of which were the reason for the dry spell.
And…encouraging words from my friend and agent! Thanks Mary.
Thank you, Mary, for giving me something to think about. I am participating in the NaNoWriMo, training for a marathon, and working fulltime. Sometimes I sit in front of the computer and go blank!
I think I am exhausted and need a much needed break. It is good to stop and take the time to reflect, seek the Lord while He may be found…then come back to writing.
Blessings!
Ruth
When I am in the writing desert, I go looking for a drink, and reading the experiences of others is what I find most refreshing, then. After which I never cease to be amazed at the personality, humor, and honesty of people (I always conclude) have been in much tougher spots than me. They never fail to delight me with their uniqueness and ingenuity, and I often feel better just “rubbing shoulders” with them for awhile.
And while most true experiences are far too amazing to be able to use in fiction, I almost always find my imagination speckled with new possibilities, afterward. It’s something like panning for gold, when you finally work your way down to the heavy black sand and suddenly a sparkle of color is revealed. In that moment, you feel as if you could pan all day long, no matter how tired you were before you saw it. I love it when that happens!
But watch out, it can also lead to gold fever.
Great post! I particularly like your third point.
Read a news article today about the Texas drought. (Like a drought of creativity?) Receding man-made lakes reveal forgotten foundations and artifacts. Hmmm…is it possible that in the flood of words, I sometimes obscure my foundational reason for telling the story? If I poke around there, might God help me rediscover some very interesting facts that weren’t obvious before?
I’m often guilty of not getting enough rest, but you’re so right, Mary. That little change can make a big difference. Thanks for sharing these tips!
Sometimes if my office gets too messy that makes it harder to write.
This year writing has been more difficult than usual because I’ve been dealing with a family tragedy.
I have noticed that sometimes taking a break from writing is best, because when one goes back to look afresh it helps one to see through the mirages and find the oasis of creativity.
I appreciate you offering your helpful perspectives, everyone.
Lori, thanks for sharing your post-cancer experience. By doing so you may spare another writer anguish during healing from an illness. Glad you are now back to writing again!
Thanks for sharing another powerful factor that can precipitate a dry season, Janet. I hope the third suggestion is helpful to you and that you have good prayer support.
Sarah, if you think of a nap as a shortcut to your goal, it’s easier to give yourself permission to do it 🙂
I’m working on a set of Bible studies to go with my book-in-progress and suddenly hit a desert place. This weekend provided more sleep (your #1) and a break from pressures at work (#2). I had a quiet talk with God on Sunday(#3) and realized that I had the lessons in the wrong sequence. Suddenly, the ideas are flowing again.
Your timing is perfect, Mary.
Love this post, Mary. This doesn’t happen to me often, but when it does, I find writing a quick fanfiction story does the trick. I love shows like Little House on the Prairie and Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. If I write a story for that, then I’m ready to go again. Sounds silly, but it works.
Getting enough sleep is a big one. I feel like I could use an extra hour or three every night! But my creativity rarely sleeps. I keep an idea journal and read a lot of different magazines and books–it’s like I can’t help but be creative when I’m surrounded by words. 🙂
Great post–have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Does a lack of motivation count as a dry spell?
Yes, it surely does, Peter. Or more accurately stated, a lack of motivation is a symptom of a dry spell.
Glad to hear the ideas are flowing again, Lee.
Cheryl and Jill, thanks so much for sharing your creative suggestions. I’m going to file those away for future reference!