Is It Writer's Block or Constipation?

Writers whisper the words. Quietly. With fear and trepidation in their voices, not wanting to admit that it is true. That it has happened to THEM.

If you're looking at the title of this blog, I'm not talking about the second item, but the first.

Writer's block.

If you are not a writer, you still might know what I'm talking about, because even if you have never stared at a blank computer screen and tried to will the words to appear and you get...NOTHING, you still know what it is like to face the day feeling drained and spent, when your creativity tank is empty.

When you've run out of gas.

Anne Lamont in the book, Bird by Bird, does not like the term, writer's block.

 And I find myself agreeing with her.

Block sounds like you are constipated or full. (Hence the title)

Straining. Pushing ahead. Believing with just a little more effort and struggle, you will get the results you desire.

Find incentive. Be creative. Be productive. (Without getting more graphic, you get the idea.)

In reality, you are not full, but empty.

Writer's block or creativity block is about emptiness, not fullness.

How To Fill Your Creativity Tank

1.  Take Part in Another Creative Venue.

It's easy to get stuck in a rut, to stick with the familiar, so shake things up a bit. Go to an art museum. A concert. A play. A ballet. Read a book or go to a movie that you normally wouldn't choose. One of my favorite museums in the Phoenix area is the 

Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). Worth every penny.

2. Hang Out With Children.

Children are incredibly creative and see the world in unique ways. Who says when you paint a picture the sky has to be blue? How about purple? And who knew that hidden in a tablecloth you can discover a princess robe, a super hero cape or a tent to escape under?

I have made a deliberate choice, no matter how busy my schedule, to volunteer one hour a week at a local elementary school as a literary volunteer (i.e. I read books to second graders). This is not a subtraction, but an addition to my creativity tank.

3. Get Outside.

Take a bike ride. Go on a hike. Visit the zoo. Walk around the park. Don't take your cell phone. Escape your four walls. Unplug from the digital world and let your mind be free to experience something not created by people.

4. Find Other Creative Men and Women.

Creativity breeds creativity. Join a reading club. A writers' group. A cooking class.

I know from personal experience there is nothing like signing up for a college class in your 50's to wake up your sleeping brain cells and get creative juices flowing.

5. Spend Time With God

God is the ultimate creator. It's part of his essence, his very being. Genesis 1 is the story of God opening his mouth and worlds being formed. I figure it's still worth taking time to hear what he has to say.

By taking time to listen to God speak to your heart, you are opening yourself to receive a fresh perspective.

Be still and know.... Psalm 46:10

What ways have you found to fill your creativity tank when it is empty?