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Every writer has those moments when you stare at the blank page in front of you, the cursor blinking as a reminder of the time that just won't stop passing and the only thought in your head is how daunting a task it seems to come up with a concept.
The good news is there is no rush! Ideas take time and often come when you least anticipate them. David Lynch imagined this process of generating ideas like going fishing: you must be patient and the big ideas will come. In the meantime, there is ample opportunity for inspiration.
If you are in a pinch, a good starting place is to take a break from thinking about the writing itself and instead begin to dwell on what is important to you. What has stuck with you? What do you want to say about the world? These are big questions, and important ones.
After you have an answer to those questions, it’s time to ask yourself how you can communicate those views through a story. What kind of characters would be the best communicators for your statement? Will your argument be an allegory or will it be more direct? Do you know people in your life who hold the same qualities you are searching for?
You don’t need to have every element of the story pieced together perfectly from the beginning, but you do need well-defined elements to weave it all together well. Focusing on the characters, theme, and world in which your story takes place can aid in making the creative process less intimidating and your story more defined.
If it’s the beginning itself that feels like a chore, there are a few methods that might help.
The Inertia Approach:
If you are anything like me, staring at a blank page and racking your brain for ideas is a familiar situation for you. Starting can feel impossible, but rest assured it's far from it.
The inertia approach works by throwing yourself into writing before you have the time to think too much about it. When you first sit down to write, just start typing your thoughts. They don’t have to be cohesive or even good for a story, but the purpose they serve is getting you started. A page full of miscellaneous thoughts and ideas is far better than no documentation at all. Your next great story could be one of those fleeting thoughts on the page.
The Sandwich Method:
Sometimes writing the beginning and the ending of a story comes much easier than the middle bits. Don’t let chronology get in the way of putting your thoughts on the page. Write the beginning, skip a page, and write the ending. Now you have most of your story written, and you can focus on creating the intersection between the two. On that blank middle page, write out the possibilities that can occur between beginning and end, and see what sticks and what doesn’t.
The Soundtrack method:
Another of my personal favorites, the soundtrack method, can help with visualization and emotional emphasis. Before or while you write, listen to music that matches the tone of your story, or even a particular scene. Sometimes listening to music can help you visualize the elements of a scene in your head; now, you can translate that vision into written words.
Walk-it-off Method:
This method requires that you have more time on your hands to complete your project. If the stress of coming up with an idea is frustrating, it’s likely time for a break, but this break should count. Taking a 15-30 minute walk: don’t think about writing, don’t listen to music, just be present and allow yourself to notice the elements of your environment. If you find that something inspires you, write that down and move on with your walk. You can’t force yourself to be inspired, but you can place yourself in situations where it's most likely to strike.
To all the writers and writers-to-be, I hope these methods help when you need them! The world needs your voice and your next masterpiece.
Happy writing!
