Getting Back in the Groove

I think happens to all of us at some point or other.


We lose our groove.

Writing-wise, I mean. I don’t think I’ve ever found my groove for dancing. I can play a mean conga drum, but dancing? Nah! It’s one of those moments when my children cower in total humiliation – or for the younger ones, abject confusion :-)

The status of my writing groove has been questionable since the end of NaNoWriMo. After devoting every second to writing – and working it around my horribly busy schedule, I was exhausted. The craziness (and wonderful-ness) of Christmas came and went. THEN I started up my new university semester this month. My groove got lost somewhere along the way.

I truly believe that each writer has a typical way to ‘feed’ his/her groove, and many times, if we don’t pay attention to the type of creativity God birthed within us it can squelch our desire.

Some writers are ‘Stay the Course’ writers. They start a novel and methodically make it from beginning to end. Rarely do other story ideas distract them from their course, but if they feed the ‘new’ idea too much, they may lose their focus and drive for their WIP.

Some writers are “Plan first, Write Later”. They collect all of their research, data, character sketches, plotting charts, and scene by scene synopsis until the shape of the story is set, and THEN they write.

Other writers are “Tackle-Plan Writers”. They may be Pantsters who start their story and stop at various points along the way to gather research, reshape the novel, and solidify what they have.

Then there are people like me. I refer to my writing style as the “Doug-Writer”. Ever seen the moving “Up”. The dog on the movie up, named Doug, is constantly distracted by a ‘squirrel’. Well, that’s kind of like me. I am at my writing BEST when I can swing between two (or sometimes three) novels. Here’s why. I can write on one until I hit a wall, then switch and feel those wonderful creative juices flowing…until I hit a wall, then switch back. It REALLY suits my innate writing needs. (This type can also be referred to as Writer-ADHD)

When I’ve tried to be a Stay the Course writer, I lose my creativity and ‘fire’ (as Cathy Marie Hake calls it) after about two months. I really need to go ‘where the fire is’.

Along the way I’ve also discovered some practical ways to get my writing groove back. Here are a few:

1. Pray (duh…I wish I could say I always go to this one first.)

2. Read FABULOUS books from FABULOUS authors like….Julie Lessman, Mary Connealy, Liz Curtis Higgs, Siri Mitchell, Laura Frantz, Denise Hunter, Julie Klassen, Janice Hanna Thompson, or Susan May Warren.

3. Daydream – I have a very vivid imagination. When left to its own devices, it’s one of the things that gets me into trouble with too many stories  But it is always a way to reignite those creative sparks. Daydreaming about my wip can jumpstart my writing.

4. Watch an inspiring movie. I usually like to stick to a movie genre that is somehow related to my wip. Gleaning inspiration from other stories is a MUST for any writer, I believe.

5. Brainstorm with fellow writers. The Alley Cats are wonderful brainstormers, and one conversation with them can sometimes be the encouragement and the jumpstart I need to hop back into one story or other :-)

So….

Do you have some more writing styles to add to the list?

What do you do to get your writing groove back?

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Pepper Basham is a pastor’s wife, mom of five, and university instructor. She takes the storytelling elements of her Blue Ridge Mountain heritage and spices a variety of genres with grace and humor. She can be found causing mischief at her group blog The Writers Alley, or at http://www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com/

pictures courtesy of http://www.fanpop.com/spots/penguins-of-madagascar/images/21932618/title/king-julien-screencap