There are rare times where I can force myself to write. Right now is not one of those times.
Have you ever felt driven to tell a story but struggle to find the way to tell it? It is in this space that I have lived for the last week. A week…not a long time…sure, but it is those 7 days of lost storytelling that I struggle with.
I spoke to a friend (and mentor) about this, about the time I started to feel the lull come on. She told me to fill my cup. I have heard this many times regarding my mental health but rarely with “creative” endeavors. I embraced reading, ferociously. It was easy to glide through 200 plus pages a day and loved every page of it.
And…you know what I found? Answers.
I found answers to questions I had been asking myself. I found paths out from the corner I was trapped in. I found large swaths of land I hadn’t even considered surveying before.
This is not true for all writers, but I cannot write from an empty cup.
If you find yourself stuck in a place where there is no way out…find that book, television show, or movie you love and shamelessly indulge. Your brain will thank you with kernels and bread crumbs you can follow to find your way out.