Live First . . . Write Second . . .
Are you constantly asking the question: What should I write?
Even the most gifted writers sometimes face writers block, but there is a point where writers block becomes perfectly explainable. Most great writers did not spend their whole lives locked up in a study sweating over a typewriter. Before they had anything to say about the world, they got out and looked at the world, and got to know its inhabitants.
If you are struggling to find material, the planet earth is filled with interesting things to write about. The particular quarks of your neighbors, folksy or not, will help with dialog. The particular plights of your city may aid in an interesting plot line. And, if you search hard enough, you may find real life characters with personalities that could fill several novel
The point is you must fill your head with all sorts of things before you will have anything to tell the reader.
-Jones
Huzzah!
A few years ago, a friend sent her 18-year-old son to talk to me about writing. Boiled down, my advice to him was write, write, write, but also be sure to go out and have a life, because until you do, you’ll never get a handle on all of the different types of people in the world and your writing will likely come across as two-dimensional. That, and you’ll quickly run out of things to say.
Not sure how he felt about my advice…never heard from him again and have no idea if he’s writing.
To exactly your point, whenever I find the creative juices waning, I leave the house…sometimes I’ll take a notebook, other times I’ll take my camera, but I must leave the house and let the world envelop me. Works for me. 😀
Randy
This is vital, and the perfect formula. I once thought that all of the amazing experiences I had already lived would be sufficient to carry me through years of great writing, but it wasn’t.
Reblogged this on R. Lynn Archie's Blog and commented:
Article from West End Publications
Great article. Good writers know the culture they live. If they didn’t…..nobody would read them. Great writers are Culture Monks 😉
I totally agree. Good reminder.
Reblogged this on ramblesrambling and commented:
Interesting concept, not the first time I heard it though.
I definitely agree! Enjoying your blog!