When The Words Don't Appear

Writers write.

An obvious statement.

But what do you do when the words don’t appear? What do you when you stare at the page, that clichéd blank page, wondering where the words have gone?

Snippets – tantalising snippets – of story ideas flit across the mind like clouds. And, like clouds, they refuse to be caught and slip through the fingers.

Lately, I feel like the writing part of my creative well is drying up. Nothing I do seems to fill it.

Lately, I’ve been wondering if my story-writing days are done. Too often there’s a feeling of “why bother?” And that feeling isn’t only to do with writing.

This soulless, joyless government seems to be hell-bent on destroying the things that make life fun – music, cinema, theatre, social life, meeting and making new friends… singing in church, celebrating weddings…

Some days I don’t want to get out of bed… I’m familiar with that notion and I know where it will lead if I give in to it. Been there, travelled that path a few times already in my past.

But I’m anchored here, gratefully anchored here by my precious boys and our kooky kitties.

If it wasn’t for them, chances are pretty high I’d be far down that path already, following that black dog…

So, I get up and get on with the day.

No matter how many times I flip through my writing notebooks and doodle in the margins next to story ideas already written down, still the words don’t appear.

But other things appear, wanting to be noticed…

Kitty wanting my lap, purring like a little engine; wind blowing through my hair as I walk in the field; fleeting glimpses of deer; my boys’ laughter; a horse’s warm breath on my hand; the unexpected sight of a couple of magpies scolding and harassing a bird of prey…

So much beauty in the world.

And I know, no matter what the government does, no matter the illogical restrictions they place on us, they cannot outlaw Nature.

Writing this, I see now that creativity is still near. I’m not scared or fearful, not mourning the lack of words for a story.

They’ll come when the time is right. I’m not going to force it.

It may be that, for now, I require something that yields more immediate results. Because I find myself turning more to craft and making things, wanting to experiment more, move out of my comfort zone.

So, that’s what I’ll do, that’s what I’ll allow myself to do – play and have fun.

Have fun and thumb my nose at those who think they can suck the fun out of life.

I’ve worked out my blog posts for the rest of the year. And I’ve decided to leave things open-ended for next year. It all depends on how I feel at the time, and that will decide what direction I go with my blog.