How To beat The Blank Page: Or How Not to Pull Out All Your Hair One strand At a Time
The blank page or in some cases, the computer screen can be a writers worst enemy. There is absolutely nothing to look at. There is a time for all writers when it seems utterly impossible that page or screen will ever shape itself in to a novel, article or writing prompt. What makes us artists, particularly writers, is our ability to take that blank document or empty book or several books, and turn it in to something that is completely ours. We have the power, and if we’re brave enough, we allow our characters to shine through and take over the story letting our fingers and subconscious be our spring boards for our creativity.
All of this is sometimes easier said then done. We sometimes don’t even have enough energy to go to our writers group meeting. We believe that after a long busy day we’ll never be able to write a single word or worse yet, a coherent sentence or a believable string of dialogue. But something finally happens if we just allow it to come. To not rush the creativity. We see a sceen, hear our characters words, feel their emotions, see their situations. Things begin to come together, and it’s great. We’re alive again and creating. For me, that is one of the most up lifting feelings I have ever experienced. Realizing the power and control I have over my computer screen. To just let the thoughts and words flow as they will.
So how might we get the flow going, you might ask? When I’m stuck, I’ll sometimes open an old writing prompt and add to it, or I’ll remember what sparked the idea for it in the first place. You know those wips, those incomplete manuscripts that take up space in our computer drives and minds? Of course you do. Get one of them and read what you’ve written thus far. Who knows, something might spark in your mind, and you’ll be on your way.
I keep a file where I write down all my ideas. I have some that are just one sentence, a word, a phrase, a possible title, or an entire paragraph devoted to a particular idea. But regardless whether I use them or not, they’re there, and maybe I can flesh something out of them. Watching the news or TV can give you tuns of different angles and ideas too. Or a song on the radio might triger a memory from your past that might be something you could use. The lyrics might give you a fresh idea. How about observing and listening to those around you? Yeah, it’s pretty cool when you just sit and soak in your surroundings. Who knows what you’ll notice and what will come to mind as a result. Ideas are everywhere. Have something handy to write them down no matter where you are. If you’re like me, you’ll forget them if you have several things on your mind at one particular time.