Sunday 6 March 2011

Things that stop you writing

Writing and editing are slow at the moment. I have lots of good excuses for this - I am too busy, my work space has been suffering a plague of noise from the builders across the road, I am lacking in inspiration, worry about money, trying to find work, needing to go on a trip etc. The truth is that they are all true and none of them are. I am indeed suffering from being busy and lack of inspiration - but what exactly is it that makes us write? And what is it that at other times brings the creative process to a grinding halt. It is all to easy to blame outside factors but as any good Zen master would tell you peace and creativity come from within. When I am stressing about money, work or noise it is because I am choosing to hear those niggly worrying voices inside me over the calmer more creative ones. This is probably why many people take up meditation (and I have lots of good reasons for not doing that either!) it can put you in touch with that calmer part of your psyche.

I am feeling like I need to make a real effort to claim back my creative life from all the other things that I am allowing to encroach on it. Wish me luck...

2 comments:

Tim Love said...

It's tricky. I've found it useful to look back at my periods of successful writing and non-writing in the hope of discovering what sets them off. Happiness tends to be an inhibitor. One young child's good, 2 are a slog. If I'm excitedly busy at work, I tend to get writing ideas too. I don't seem to be able to write on holiday. But mostly my writing modes are beyond my control.

Julia said...

Yes I agree about happiness. I also find that if I write a regular journal in the morning just writing whatever (what Julia Cameron calls morning pages) that I write more in general too. I always think I will write on holiday but rarely do...