When I feel like that I try and remind myself that writers are not some magical, rarefied creatures (like unicorns) that breathe different air and are not even on the same plane as me. I remind myself of something I once read which was basically that writers are just like you and me; the only difference is that they take the time to write down what they see.
More practically speaking, here are some the things I do to ensure I don't "run out" of writing ideas:
1. Keep notes of potential topics--I use a hidden page of my blog, my phone, and random scraps of paper. A lot of my ideas come on the drive to school, so I am always prepared to capture them before they are gone.
2. I read back over other things I have written for seed ideas (a small part of a published piece that I have more to say about).
3. I daydream. Sometimes I just have to sit with the quiet for a while.
4. I look at art, listen to songs, read--for inspiration.
5. I read the news. So easy to find something about which I have an opinion.
6. I start with my passions (animals; books; teaching; gardening). I could write tons of entries about any one of those, each with a different focus and in a variety of genres, both fiction and non-fiction.
7. Sometimes I just have to sit down and try, even if all I write at first is, "But I've got nothing to write about." Just the act of writing usually prompts something else.
Writing isn't always meant to be heard though, so it's not a struggle against silence, it's a struggle to take in the world around us, or even create a whole new world around us. I love the topic though, and sometimes the only time I write anything is for school, and I have to remind myself to make time for that important aspect of my life.
ReplyDeleteI still think it's a struggle against silence--you are saying something that was not there before you said it, whether you have an audience or not.
ReplyDeleteEven if you are building off something someone before you said?
ReplyDelete