PJ Scribbans Author

Like many professions or people with a passion, writers spend many hours sitting in front of a screen/typewriter tapping away, doing the creative thing – or at least attempting to.

The one problem we’ve all come across is what I call Writers Creativity Drain! 

Picture the scene, you’ve been writing merrily away, but now your inspiration feels a little… flat. The ideas have dried up, and you’re struggling to get the proceeding words out, leading to a spiral of deletes, self-doubt and frustration. This isn’t writers block – yet – but soon will be, if you don’t take action. The worst case is that some writers might throw in the towel, perhaps not permanently, but enough to slowdown that valuable creativity.

Perhaps you need to recharge?

Like with so many other things in life, the trick is to recognise the symptoms and do something about it before it becomes an issue. The alternative is to struggle through and go head first into writer’s block. Sometimes taking a break for a couple of days does the trick, but often this isn’t enough.

So , how do you cure writers creativity drain?

The answer is to focus on something different for a while that isn’t too mentally challenging and ideally puts you physically into a new environment. This isn’t merely a break; it’s a concerted effort to get the old grey matter concentrating on something different; to refocus, but leave your writer’s mind in gear. It’s a little like recharging a battery. Rather than throw it away when it’s dead, we are disconnecting and replenishing it. 

So what counts as something that isn’t too mentally challenging, which allows you space for your imagination to recharge and put you in a new environment? I’ll give you two examples that I’ve used myself recently.

Recharge Suggestion 1: The Long Haul Chore

Now, this method will be popular with partners everywhere. You know that job you’ve been putting off? Perhaps its been suggested, by your significant other, that the backyard needs a power-wash, or you have windows that need cleaning? Maybe you have to whitewash the garden fence or decorate? 

Now, you may be asking how can a spot of chore bashing, help me recharge my inspiration?

The key isn’t the act of doing the chore; it’s the resulting free time your mind has to work in the background on your narrative issues, with a little gentle mental nudging. 

Remember me saying earlier to ‘keep your writers mind in gear’? Well, this is an important point. The last time I used this method, I took eights days out to decorate my daughters rooms. During this time, I not only got past a plot issue. I also managed to come up with several storey twists, character development ideas and a large amount of world-building. How? I let my mind wander as I sanded down the skirting boards, or painted, or hung wallpaper. Sometimes my thoughts were unrelated to my writing, so I’d mentally nudge them back on track.

I also used the opportunity to catch up on some writing podcasts. Having these playing in the background exposed me to new ideas and possibilities. Imagine your subconscious, processing your story arc, while you work. Some people report similar results after going to sleep while thinking about a problem and waking up with the answer.

Recharge method 2: Go Go on an Adventure!

It sounds stupid, maybe even obvious to some, but getting out of the house/home office and going for a walk, especially in a new location, is a fantastic way to work past creativity drain. As with the previous method, it’s essential to keep your writers mind in gear in the background.

My writing is based on the fantastically beautiful Lake District, located in Cumbria, UK. This is the same place that inspired great writers like Ruskin, Wordsworth, Wainwright and Beatrix Potter. For me, this method is an especially potent way to recharge my inspiration battery. The rolling mountains, lakes, and deep forests, fire the imagination. Many times I have sat on a hillside, imagining my story playing out.

So taking yourself off for a little adventure can be a productive way to stoke the inspirational fires, and it’s a method I use when inspiration fails me.

Finally, one crucial point. It’s great having new ideas, story arcs and character growth; however, it’s all useless if you don’t keep your notepad close by. Don’t think you’ll remember all these new ideas; you won’t. Write them down as they emerge in your mind. As a writer, I always have my notepad to hand, or at least a digital version. It’s a lesson I learned early in my writing journey.

I hope this post helps you. Taking time out and allowing your mind to wander, but leaving your writers mind in gear, can have surprising results. Good luck!

Take care,

– Scrib