Pages

Thursday, December 22, 2016

How to Get Inspired When You're Not

You know the feeling. You sit down at your desk or chair or your favorite creative spot, with a mug of tea or hot chocolate or whatever drink you prefer, all prepared to write a masterpiece. But there's a problem. You know what you want to say, but you have no idea how to say it.

Don't despair. Emma is here!

Just kidding. Actually, this sort of thing happens to me more often than I'd like to admit. It's the bane of a writer's existence, more commonly known as writer's block. I like to think that there's two categories of writer's block. The first is where you totally know where you want to go with the story or even the exact scene or dialogue that takes place, but you're hindered by the fact that... well, words are tricky. People are tricky. And you're at a loss for how to go about the whole thing without making an embarrassment of yourself.

The second is where you maybe just don't feel like writing at all, and you have no inspiration whatsoever, and you just spend the day (or a few) moping about the house and wishing you had the ambition to do something about it.

Well, good news! There's a solution!

So stop whining, get off your behind, and go sit down. Or don't. Never mind. I'm about to reveal some ways that you can get more inspired to write that tricky story.



1. Listen to soundtracks from movies or TV shows. This is always great, because a lot of times, you can imagine things more vividly with the right music. I plan on doing a post or two later about some good soundtracks that have helped get me in the mood. To name a few, the Batman Begins soundtrack, the Hunger Games, the Chronicles of Narnia, etc.

2. Watch some movies with good plots and engaging characters. This one may have two sides. You can either get super inspired by it, or not want to write at all because those screenwriters are so much better at coming up with cool story lines or intense action scenes. It's not true! You may just have to watch a lot of shows and movies before you brainstorm your own great plot and combine ideas that make a good story.

3. Go people-watching. This one is especially great if you're trying to write a dialogue scene. Sometimes, being an introvert, I'm not exactly sure how people portray feelings like fear or sadness because... sigh, yes, I'm kind of a hermit. And even though the scenes in movies where the actors show the full depth of human emotion are great, it's not always how real-life people look. If you just go to a coffee shop or social event, sit in a corner, and observe, it's helpful to note how different people have different responses based on their individual personalities. Plus, many of the people I see or interact with have given me loads of character inspiration, so that's a major plus.

4. Go for a drive. Yes, I understand that not everyone has the luxury of taking off whenever they get the urge to, but when you have spare time, just hop in the car and drive anywhere that suits your fancy, whether it be a lake, forest, urban cityscape, or if you live in New Zealand, all the locations where the filming of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit took place. (Those lucky fans.)

5. Rain! I love rain. The smell of water on asphalt or garden soil, combined with the fresh feeling in the air... I love it all. I think it's the general overcast look in the sky that helps my creative juices get flowing. You may not think that rain or cloudy weather is all that interesting, but just pick whatever weather you like best and work from there.

6. Have conversations with your friends about books or the story you're writing. A lot of times, just talking through your prospective scene with a friend will help you to pinpoint the overall goal of what you're trying to convey. Bouncing ideas and schemes off of people helps stimulate a wave of theories and possible themes for your project. Of course, it really helps that most of my friends are writing enthusiasts by default and they always have great suggestions for me. Most of the time, anyway. Sometimes I just think, "Screw it, I don't need help. I am a literary genius." However, that only happens when I'm feeling rebellious. My chief advisor, Ruthie, has read so many books and watched so many emotional anime shows that she's practically a walking encyclopedia of good ideas. Many times I've been stumped on a character's backstory or plot details and Ruthie always manages to snap me out of it. Thanks, friend!

7. Just take a break. Nobody likes it when they feel like they've come to the end of their thinking capacity and then force themselves to think harder. It just doesn't work, no matter how much you think you're super-spy Phil Coulson.



So walk away from the computer or notebook for awhile; allow yourself to recharge, think about something else, take a walk. Also, doing dishes is a great way to brainstorm. Its worked for me numerous times.

So there you have it. If you have any more tips to add, comment and tell me what they are! I'd love to hear some new ideas! Share this post on social media if you liked it, and don't forget to come back for some (hopefully) bi-weekly posts.



Thursday, December 8, 2016

Beginning of an Adventure...

I could start this blog out with saying that I don't think I'm a good writer, or that I don't expect any of my work to get published, or something else degrading about my writing skills. And I'm sure every writer or aspiring author has, at some point, I don't care who you are, wanted to chuck everything into the trash bin or burn it because it's so bad. But that's just the process of trial and error, right? Finding out what works in your story and what sounds really, really awful.

So, despite the fact that I think my writing is mediocre and no one would want to read it, I'm driven on by the fact that I'm not writing simply to please other people. I'm writing for myself, to find out how far I can push the standard, to see how well I can express myself in words, to be inspired by my own characters and to urge myself to be better.

I guess the real question would be... why do I write?

I write to create my own worlds from imagination. I write to stir emotion in whoever reads it. I write to go deeper than the surface and delve into the hard things. I write to expose myself and all my flaws. I write to challenge myself. I write to ask difficult questions. I write to make myself laugh. I write the kind of stories I want to read. I write because I believe every story should have a deeper meaning than just surface level.

But most importantly, I write because God gave me the talent and ability to do so, and that means that I should be trying my utmost to glorify Him and point others to His love.

And if I'm glorifying God while doing what I love... well, that means that I shouldn't put myself down or compare my writing to others, because God made me exactly the way He wanted me.

Even if that means I speak fluent whale and Disney song lyrics.

If I wanted you to take away one thing from this post, here it is: You should not stop writing because you think you're terrible at it, or because other people write better, or because crying over Bucky Barnes is preventing you from getting on with your life. (Trust me, it's a real thing for Marvel fangirls.) You just keep on writing because YOU want to, and because you're putting to use the amazing and wonderful mind that God gave you.

The majority of this blog will be a mishmash of writing tips and tricks (though I probably don't know enough to write a blog about it), maybe a few book reviews, and for those who are interested, maybe even some hints about the book I am currently writing/editing. I will be *attempting* to post every couple of weeks, or whenever I get the motivation, or sometime really sporadic. Thankfully, I graduate next spring, so hopefully I will have the time and the effort to put into publishing my book in process.

If you asked me to describe myself in one sentence, it would be this: A chocolate-loving, book-crazed, movie-quoting, God-fearing tomboy/nerd/fangirl/country bumpkin who has an obsession with the Chronicles of Narnia and Star Wars and who doesn't think there's enough rain in one year to possibly get enough inspiration.

So there you have it!

Oh, and I forgot the sarcasm part. I'm very sarcastic, too. And OCD. And I love organizing.
Who knows, maybe that's what makes me a pretty good writer.