Confession: I love to write.
Writing comes with its perks, like being able to creatively express yourself. You can also write a lengthy and somewhat colorful letter that tells your cranky fart face of a neighbor to essentially piss off after they incessantly complain to you about running your dryer "late at night." In my defense, I did not realize that 8 in the evening
Yet being a writer also has its downsides. In my most humble opinion, the greatest difficulty that I also happen to dread the most is something we've all faced at some point in our lives: writer's block.
Picture this. You have this story idea and it's a brilliant idea. You write the idea down so that you won't forget it and you even think about it while going about your day. You finally find some time to sit down and really get into the nitty-gritty details of the story and ... you draw a blank.
Congratulations. You now have writer's block.
Writer's block is honestly such a pain in the posterior because you have the motivation to go, go, go, but your brain is like no, no, no.
I write all the time, partly because of my major (journalism) and partly because I just like to write. I also have to deal with writer’s block all the time, which can sometimes spell disaster for me when I’m trying to meet a deadline.
Thus, I went on a journey to figure out what helps me get out of this creative c*ck block each time and these have always helped me come out of this dreaded state.
1. Listen to music.
Warning: I’m going to sound like an absolutely insufferable hipster, so bare with me.
Music is essentially words and phrases carefully combined with the rhythmic repeatings and blending of instruments. Nowadays, almost anyone can “create” music (i.e. Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’ which is an absolute nightmare), but it takes a special kind of skill to be able to create “good” music.
Whenever I hit that writer’s block wall, my first instinct is to turn on hip hop/rap. I’m talking Big Sean, Biggie, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Eminem and the occasional Childish Gambino. That last one, I have to include because his song "Redbone" has me feeling things when I’m writing. In fact, I’m listening to it now. It’s just a damn good song.
The source behind a good song like this can draw from their own life experiences. Music then becomes a peephole view of the artist’s life and as a writer, listening to others talk about their lives inspires me to look at my own life experiences and use those as the basis for the topic of a personal essay I might write.
2. Take a hike.
Combined with the good music I rambled about above, taking a simple walk can make for one hell of a breath of fresh air.
For me, most of my writing happens at night because that’s when I’m at my most relaxed state. This means that whenever I need to take a walk, I’m usually wandering around my relatively safe neighborhood past midnight with my earphones in.
Sometimes, you just need that cold air to hit you in the face like a cold, hard dose of reality. Walking (and just any form of exercise, really) can get your endorphins, a.k.a. your “feel good” juices going, which means you’ll be less stressed and generally happier. Those are just the physical benefits of taking a walk.
Mentally, taking a walk can go one of two ways. Either your brain will be overflowing with thoughts or it’ll shut up for a good minute or two. Whichever way your brains decides to go, I can guarantee that the fresh air will do you some good and help you to feel refreshed enough to fill in that blank document staring back at you.
3. Scribble in your notebook.
Have you ever been in a situation in which talking things through is the only way to solve a problem? The same concept applies here, too.
Writer’s block is essentially a battle being fought inside of you. It’s always you versus whatever’s holding you back, which can range from fear of not meeting a deadline to lacking the motivation to continue.
To win this battle, sometimes you just have to keep writing. It doesn’t have to make sense. It doesn’t have to be good. It doesn’t have to have meaning. It only has to be an endless supply of words on a page.
Constantly scribbling or typing something out can lead you to an idea. Even if it’s something that would make your high school AP English teacher cringe, I say go for it. What’s the worst that can happen?
4. Take a nap.
Set an alarm. Lean your head against the wall. Let your eyes slowly flutter until they close. Allow yourself to wander into the unpredictable nature of your mind’s dreamland.
As with taking a walk, sometimes you just need to give yourself a mental break. Naps are a productive way of going about this. In a way, you’ll be resetting yourself when you wake up, so you’ll be able to look at your writing with fresh eyes and hopefully, some fresh ideas.
5. Have a drink.*
If you’re my friend and you’re reading this, you’re either laughing, eye-rolling or both at the moment. If you’re my mom or dad, you’re probably eye-rolling. By the way, hi mom and dad!
Believe it or not, having a glass or two has helped me get those creative juices flowing.
Don’t quote me on that. I don’t know if there’s an actual scientific study to back up my claims since I have yet to find any, but my experience with this delicious poison and penning my thoughts have always been somewhat pleasant. If you take away the hangover the next morning, then it’s always pleasant.
When I drink, I feel relaxed, uninhibited by the harsh judgment that the world hurls at me. The filter on my mouth comes loose and so does the one in my head.
I think I write the most honestly when drunk because I simply don’t care what others think about me and my writing. Drunk me would look at my harshest critics and tell them (using the wise words of Barnabas Collins from Dark Shadows), “You may strategically place your wonderful lips upon my posterior and kiss it repeatedly!”
Admittedly, the quality of the writing can vary, but it always gives me something to work with whenever I come back to writing. Between you and me, I’d rather work with a steaming pile of poo than an empty plate because then, you can at least use that poo to fertilize the field and grow a field of flowers. Poo being whatever drunk me manages to get out and the field of flowers being whatever I manage to salvage from drunk me’s drunken creations.*Drinking is fine and dandy, but don't be dumb. Don't break the law. Don't drink and drive. Remember, it only takes one stupid decision to create a lifetime of consequences. And for goodness sake, if you're a minor, just don't do it. You'll have plenty of time for hangovers later. This is one part of growing up that you will not enjoy.
