Once the clocks go back, it can feel like we’re in for a bit of a slog. That’s why I’ve created the Daylight Saving Club.
It’s a series of online sessions to help keep the winter blues at bay. They’re carefully crafted to keep in tune with the seasons, embracing the cosiness without slipping into a slump.
Sessions run on Zoom, from October 29th through to the end of March. There’s a whole host of brilliant stuff lined up, carefully crafted to help us embrace the cosiness without sinking into a slump. If you know you’re prone to disappearing down a rabbit hole throughout the winter months, this is your year to do things differently.
The sessions
There are three types of session. We meet on a Tuesday evening at 7 (with a repeat on Saturday at 3)
Creative Zing is designed to connect with our creativity so we can use it to make life better. Sessions will be fun and fully interactive. No previous experience or talent required! Here, it’s all about getting stuck in, enjoying that feeling of flow. Perfect for writers who are feeling a bit stuck!
Winter Zen is an hour of pure relaxation. Think storytime, guided meditation, visualisation and deep relaxation. Get your comfies on. Make a cosy nest. No cameras on. No need to do anything except show up.
Hygge Huddle is a virtual fireside sharing space. We’ll tackle some of the challenges of the season and come up with practical solutions to help us all thrive. It’ll be a supportive and uplifting place, rich with lots of wellbeing-boosting tips!
Google ‘how to overcome writer’s block’ and up pops loads of articles containing countless checklists. But what happens when you’ve optimised your environment, set all the productivity schedules, eaten all the superfoods, taken on plenty of water and STILL the words won’t come? Chances are, there’s something else at play.
How do you get moving, then? Who better to ask than a group of writers. ‘Blasting through the blocks’ was the theme of our Teignmouth Writers July meet-up. Nine of us around the table, each with a different idea. Put them all together and some themes emerge; understand WHY the block has appeared and you’re part way to getting moving.
There’s an idea stuck inside and it needs help to get out
You’ve had a whisper. That little scritch that tells you something wants to be written. You sit. Stare at the page/screen. And it just won’t come. What to do? Simple. Get moving or get in water.
Getting out for a good stomp in nature is a brilliant way of creating an internal shift. Instead of actively trying to ‘pull’ an idea to the forefront, let it be. Get outside. Connect with the world around you through all the senses. Notice the colours, smell all the ‘pine-woody mushroomy’* smells. Touch leaves and walls as you’re walking by. If the idea is ready to be known, it will float in. Let go of trying. See what occurs.
Passing a brook or near to the sea? Even better. There’s something about being in water that helps create flow. Shoes off and stand still. Eyes closed. Deep breath. Focus on the feel of the water passing by. Chances are, something will shift.
No time to get out and about? Mundane chores can have a similar effect. Get your hands in a big bowl of soapy washing-up. Get lost in the bubbles. Let the idea surface in its own sweet time.
Or jump in the shower. Let the water play over you. Key is NOT thinking about whatever it is you’re trying to ‘solve’. If the water hasn’t worked, try a walk – and if that doesn’t work – there are plenty of other ideas below!
You’ve come up against a brick wall.
Perhaps a character has decided to go somewhere unexpected. Or the plot has wiggled off the beaten track. How do you get from A to where you want to be? Try setting a timer and make a list of impossible next steps. Be absolutely outlandish. Let your imagination have free rein. Out of ridiculousness, some golden nuggets may emerge.
If that doesn’t work, maybe it’s time to retrace your steps. You might be in a blind alley because you’ve taken a wrong turn. Work backwards to the last pivot point.
What happens if you take a different direction? (No need to get precious about wasted words – cut and paste them into a cache – they might come in handy some other time!).
You’ve got time. You’ve got peace and quiet. And the words just won’t come.
Tell yourself to write one line. A rubbish line. Something that’s definitely not going to make an appearance in any final draft. It’s a foot in the door. A mark on the page. Something to get you started. And once you’ve written one, invite another. Keep adding lines. Could be absolute nonsense. At this stage, it doesn’t matter. All you’re doing is connecting with flow.
Incidentally, tone matters here. Do you need coaxing or a firm boot up the bum? If one doesn’t work, try t’other. If you’re only ever in the habit of giving yourself a hard time, it might be helpful to play around with a different, softer approach.
If a line won’t come, work from a prompt. There are gazillions online.
And if you write for a while and it still doesn’t feel right, that’s ok too. Don’t discard the work. Look back over it another day. When we’re out of alignment, the tendency is to look at everything with a critical eye. Save judgment for brighter days. No knee-jerk culling!
On these kinds of days, it might be that you’re trying to pour from an empty cup. Us writers and artists sometimes need inspiration. There are days when we just need to rest in beauty. Perhaps today wasn’t a writing day. Perhaps it was meant to be a day for observing; gathering; resting; being.
You’ve run out of steam. There’s time on the clock but you’re just not feeling it.
Are you bored or dehydrated? Some people find it helpful to have multiple projects on the go. As soon as one starts feeling a bit sludgy, switch. Get to know your attention span. Embrace it.
Nothing works.
You’ve tried all the tricks and still the words don’t come. It could be that there is something deeper at play. Perhaps you’ve written a passage that is absolutely golden and you’re freaking out at your own brilliance. Maybe you’re coming towards the end of a project and have realised that means actually showing it to people.
Up til this point, it’s just been you and the page. What if others don’t like it? Or even worse, what if they really like it. How will you be able to cope with the fame, you’re really not the red-carpet type. And if they like this one too much, how will anything else you write ever be good enough. If this is the peak, then perhaps it’s better just to take a pause before it’s all over.
All perfectly normal. This is where community comes into its own. Surround yourself with other writers. People who get the highs and the lows and the thrill of it all. In those moments of fear and doubt, lean in. Or get a coach. We all need cheerleaders sometimes. There’s no shame in it.
Better that than a half-finished piece that sits in a drawer for decades, the victim of its own potential. People get blocked in a big way all the time. The piece doesn’t go away, but sits at the edge of the mind, half-done and ever hopeful.
SO… Don’t let it happen to you. Reach out! Let’s get those words out into the world. If you’ve tasted the deliciousness of being in flow it’d be a real shame to deny yourself more of it. What better pleasure than letting words tumble. Gift yourself. If others happen to enjoy reading, all the better, but the most important thing is how you feel when it’s just you and the waiting page.
