Find me online
Miss Write
  • Home
  • Blog
  • My Writing
  • About
  • WIP

Writing ... How To Start Again After A Break

20/8/2012

4 Comments

 
Picture
I’m worried I’ve lost it. It’s only temporary, I hope, but I may have lost my writing flow.

The cause: I’ve been working abroad for 9 weeks with Raleigh International in Costa Rica. I volunteered as a Project Manager coordinating groups of 14 young people through tough challenges and demanding environmental work volunteer project.

The effect: There was little time to breathe, let alone time to write. I’ve been back a week and haven’t had the inkling to write a word.

I did manage to complete a full travel/expedition personal journal while I was away, so it wasn’t like I haven’t written anything in the last few months, but it was hardly my normal cup of tea and hardly creative. It was more of an outlet for my emotions and a way of recording things so I had more memories a month or year down the line to hang on to. However, added to the small pre-expedition ‘dry’ period during which I single-handedly ran my town’s first literary festival (A Write Good Festival), sorted all my medical vaccinations, packed my kit, and visited friends and family before I left, I haven’t really written anything constructive for about 12 weeks now.

I’ve even hosted my first Towcester Writers’ Group meeting since I’ve been back, but I didn’t have any time to write anything before we met (3 days after I landed back in the UK) so didn’t feel overly inspired or even as much of a participant as I usually felt in the evening’s activities. That was partly due to my lack of new material, but I can also hopefully blame jet lag. The group did well though, I am glad they’ve been writing in the absence of their Chair!

How I plan to get my flow back

I know practicing writing is the best way to improve and to get in the groove to write more and more. I want to be as prolific, no, more prolific than when I paused creative production in June, but just need the kick up the ass to get moving again. I’m hoping secretly that this blog post will re-ignite something and the flood gates will open. Minus the metaphors. If anyone has any tips on how to get the brain going again, do comment below!

This week I will try the following to re-ignite my passion and creative flow:

Write a blog post – first job’s almost ticked off the list already

Write a (short) letter – today – a postcard to Costa Rican friend. Any kind of writing might spark some ideas or impromptu prose.

Work on improving an existing short story I never entered anywhere and submit it somewhere. I haven’t entered a competition since the Spring and feel like a challenge.

Start something fresh - the stories I have from working with Raleigh International should inspire me something… ‘Girl Meets Jungle’, anyone?! Kidding…

Catch up on reading the writing related blogs I follow. They’re crammed full with inspiration and tips on how to improve and sustain your writing. I recommend taking a look at my latest discoveries:

    1.  Elope From Harm  @JARiley92

    2.  Novel Girl @RebeccaBerto

    3.  Commas and Colons 

    4.  Warrior Writers @KristenLambTX

I'll leave you today with a quote from Hemingway's 'A Moveable Feast'.

“It was wonderful to walk down the long flights of stairs knowing that I’d had good luck working. I always worked until I had something done and I always stopped when I knew what was going to happen next. That way I could be sure of going on the next day. But sometimes when I was started on a new story and I could not get going, I would sit in front of the fire and squeeze the peel of the little oranges into the edge of the flame and watch the sputter of blue that they made. I would stand and look out over the roofs of Paris and think, ”Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence you know.” So finally I would write one true sentence, and then go on from there.”

Thanks Big H! I’m going to get started!

Lou x

www.facebook.com/louise.gibney.writer

@MissWriteUK

Image courtesy of Phillip Vickers.

4 Comments
Di Castle link
21/8/2012 05:05:08 pm

The Writing.com website does have a section of Writing Prompts. I need to take my own medicine here as I could do with getting the flow back after Winchester Conference (burnout?), Wimbledon, Olympics, grandchildren's school holiday visits and our own season of festival and live music here in Swanage. I might try the writing prompts. I did read a tip to go to something you have already written and try to improve it and somehow the muse will come. I have ordered The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron from the library as several writers recommend it for unblocking the writer. Good luck and let me know what works for you.

Reply
Lou link
22/8/2012 02:38:45 am

Thanks Di - I will let you know! Have you tried the 'running tap' analogy? Write 'blah blah blah.... etc' until something else appears, running a rusty tap clean. I like that method, and I'm no plumber! :)

Reply
Dissertation writer link
24/12/2012 03:01:15 am

The first part of writing is to know the topic and prepare a plan. You must ascertain the limits of your research work, and stick to it, otherwise if you start including too many points, you are going to create a mess literally. Provide some believable examples to pay stress on some important issues, and try to maintain the flow of information in the correct direction.

Reply
Lou link
24/12/2012 04:07:53 am

Thanks for your comments 'Dissertation Writer'. As with a dissertation, you're right, you need a plan. I can't write unless I know the gist of what's going to happen! Have a lovely Christmas x

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I'm a writer from Bristol, UK, with an unhealthy obsession with stationery and baking. I write magazine articles and short stories, but blogging is my real passion outlet. 

    Picture

    Archives

    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    August 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    May 2017
    April 2017
    August 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 1970

    Categories

    All
    April 2013 Blog Challenge
    Baking
    Blog Hop
    Books
    Campaigns / Charity
    Christmas
    Competitions
    Contemporary Fiction
    Cycling
    Ebooks & Apps
    Environment
    Events
    #fail
    Fun Life Stuff!
    Gifted Reads
    Guest Bloggers
    Halloween
    Holiday Reads
    International Women's Day
    My Wedding
    My Writing
    Poetry
    Random Inspiration
    Rant
    Reading
    Reviews
    Social Media
    Treasured Reader
    Wedding
    Well Being
    Well-being
    Women Writers
    Writing
    Writing Tips

    Get your own free Blogoversary button!

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.