Last week, I wrote about discipline and writing every day. So, of course, the great G was right there to suggest an article interview with Jim Davis, the creator of Garfield, on waiting for inspiration to do something creative. Unfortunately, I didn’t bookmark the article, so you’ll just need to take my paraphrasing for what it’s worth. However, if I find it again, I’ll link it here.
Jim made some good points, not the least of which was that writing without inspiration will result in contrivance, which the audience will pick up on. He urged writers not to force themselves to write, but wait for inspiration to strike. He talks about the times he’s tried to force a joke or storyline and that it was invariably bad. Then, he says that when he’s feeling inspired, he can knock out a month’s or more worth of strips, that being the nature of cartooning.
I agree with him, but only up to a point. Every writer I know goes through periods of refueling that get mischaracterized as writer’s block. These periods can be frustrating at the minimum, or soul-crushing at the extreme, when you question your ability and even your purpose. It is in those moments that discipline can be the saving grace.
First, how can you know that an idea is bad or a story doesn’t work until you get it down on paper? For every story I’ve finished, I have three that I started and haven’t finished (yet), and three more that never left the notebook, ie the idea stage. That’s just the nature of creativity. You don’t need to publish every single word you write, and if you write every day, there’s a good chance some of it will be bad.
Second, in my other life, I’m a bicycle mechanic and avid cyclist. I’m not a professional cyclist, so I don’t follow a strict training schedule. But I also know that if I go out for a 40 mile ride, it will be grueling if I haven’t ridden in weeks. Writing is a long-term commitment. You can’t write a novel in a day. At least, not a good one. So at some point, you’re going to need to come back to the desk. If you’re going long periods of time between production because you’re waiting for inspiration, you’re not likely to be professionally successful.
Third, I think that there’s a lot of worthwhile work that can be done–and on a daily basis– that is not “writing.” I do a lot of notebook work for stories, especially at the outset, while I’m still trying to find my characters and still developing the story narrative. There’s also proofreading and editing. Submitting stories to editors. And don’t forget professional development; not just reading stories, novels, poems, or whatever you’re trying to emulate, but learning from the pros or your peers, either by reading their nonfiction about writing, or participating in writing groups. In fact, there’s so much other work to do, I sometimes forget to work on my story.
Fourth, there’s no one saying that your daily work needs to be a specific word count. My minimum commitment is fifteen minutes a day. That’s where I am currently. Two months ago, when I felt that I was in a strong enough place again mentally to try to make another go at writing professionally, my goal to sit at my desk every day. That was it. I’ve been doing the equivalent of a couch to 5k program.
Finally, I’m talking about writing on a professional basis. Whatever your job might be, you’d probably agree with me that it doesn’t matter how good you are at it, if you don’t do it on a regular basis, you’re not likely to be professionally successful. I mean, if you get an idea and you think it’d make a good story, there are virtually no barriers to you being able to do so. Getting that story published is a wholly different endeavor.
So while I agree that forced writing is bad writing, I think there’s enough that you can do on a daily basis to keep you engaged with your writing so that when inspiration does come, you’re already at the desk to take advantage of it.
The Chimerical Dark 