With my book now out there in the world and people actually reading it and saying nice things about it, the job of writing has suddenly loomed large in the rearview mirror.
Thus, the question is; after a break to do the important things such as work and so forth, how does a writer get back to it?
1. The idea notebook.
If you don't have one, get one. Small enough to fit in a pocket, sturdy enough to survive going everywhere with you, and something you are never going to be precious about (as can so often be the case with new, shiny stationary).
An elastic band around the middle is also a good idea, to keep pencils, pens, bits of paper etc.
Now collect stuff. Overhearings, odd sayings, interesting facts from the paper or the radio, anything will do. If collecting facts try and get details (who said it, where did you read it) so when you look it up later you will be able to find the information in full on the relevant website.
Overhearings are my favourite.
Once, on a train back from Brighton, two girls in their late teens were sitting at a table seat across the gangway from me. One was explaining the intricacies of her relationship to her friend, who was eating crisps with a certain mechanical determination and nodding.
"Of course," she said, "I live a lot closer to my boyfriend than he does to me."
The friend nodded and kept eating.
I'd like you to think about that for a moment.
And, to this day, I can't find the right place in a story to put it. More's the pity.
2. The work in progress folder.
The bucket of abandoned things, otherwise known as any unfinished bits and pieces that were merely begun is always a good place to start.
Re-reading work after some time has passed can sometimes spark a new idea, or at least a way to finish a story you once struggled with.
Never throw anything away is the motto here. You never know...
3. The plan.
Know what you were going to do next.
Having a goal and finishing the work you are doing is, of course, essential. But adding one more thing to the "to do list" can be very helpful and get your brain thinking about something else even while you are finishing the job at hand.
Just complete this sentence: "And after I have finished this I am going to ____________"
In my case "edit the short story collection", "write two new stores for the collection" and "transcribe my notes for the novel".
The back of the brain will then be churning quietly away to itself, sometimes without any knowledge of it's owner, and be ready to put new things on the page when the last page of your current work has gone in the post to be coloured in by your editor.
4. Write every day.
"Creativity is a muscle."
No it isn't.
Re-inforcing the creative pathways in the brain by repeating the process of creation, that's real.
Do that.
The more you write, the more you CAN write.
The more you write, the more you CAN write.
5. Read.
Read a lot.
Read everything.
Read things you wouldn't normally read.
Challenge yourself as a reader.
Then, when you have exhausted yourself reading Beckett and Kafka or whatever else, go back to an old favourite and suddenly notice how the writing is different.
6. Relax.
If you have decided not to write today, do not walk around thinking "Yes, but I really should be writing." Take the time to recharge. Writing is like any other job, it can be tiring, so give yourself a break and use a vacation day.
That's all from me this week. I hope you found it useful.
All the best, Tim.
