Method to Madness: Let your stories come to you

All too often I see people frustrated about getting writer's block. It's something that happens and from experience I can tell you that the harder you try to force it out of you, the harder it'll resist.

That's because stories are alive.

They have feelings.

They have a mind of their own and will not be forced to do what you want to do when you want to do it.

That's the very reason why I always have multiple projects running. Some people may accuse me for lack of discipline, but if you see my track record, I've been writing every single day for the last several years with very, very, very few exceptions. If I'm not in the mood to write in one project, I work on a blog post, or a poem, or a haiku, or plot points or new ideas, or something.

The idea for me is to never stop, to always be progressing and to let the project that grabs my attention dictate what I will write that day. Sure I'd like to finish some things first, but that's not how I work and muses are temperamental and not to be messed with.

Some people get desperate and frustrated and I understand that feeling quite well.

I have good news though, if you stop forcing, the story will come. It will assault you in the moment you least expect it, but it'll come. In the meantime, read, watch movies and documentaries, free write, write in your journal, write poetry, write haikus, limericks, riddles, whatever, just write. Loosen up that hand. A block is nothing more than rust you need to clear so the hinges work again. Still, the more you feed the mind, the more ideas will come to you.

You see, an obsessed mind can only focus on one thing and honestly, sometimes you need that. However, other times you need to flow, and for a writer, often times that means letting go.

After all, flowers don't beg bees to come for their pollen, and if you enjoy life, some sunlight, and water your brain, the bees will come... oh how they will come.

Peace, love, and maki rolls.