Getting into the Zone

by Lynne Shelby

There are days when the words flow so effortlessly from keyboard to WIP that it feels as though your characters have taken over your plot and are telling their stories for themselves, taking it in directions that you, the writer and supposedly their creator, would never have imagined. You are so deep in the ‘writing zone’ that suddenly, you realise it’s growing dark, and you haven’t had your lunch. If you were an ancient Greek you’d thank your Muse for inspiring your art. If you were a twenty-first century psychologist you’d say you were in a ‘flow state’ which is how scientific folk describe the feeling of performing at your very best.

Then there are days when writing even one sentence is like squeezing blood out of a stone, when you find that you’ve written yourself up against a brick wall, or you realise that your plot has this huge, gaping, bottomless hole. Or you read back over what you’ve written and are convinced it’s utter garbage that no-one else will ever want to read. What you need is to find a way to get back into the zone.

Paradoxically, as most writers spend their working days sitting in front of a computer screen, one of the best things you can do to get the words flowing smoothly again is to stand up from your desk and go for a walk – even a ten minute stroll can be all you need to think of a way to tie up the loose ends of that unravelling plot. There is, apparently, a scientific explanation for this – something to do with physical exercise improving circulation, bringing more oxygen-rich blood to the brain – and studies have proved that people come up with more creative ideas when they’re moving around. Better still, the effects of taking some exercise last after you’ve stopped, so that having been for a walk, writers are able to think more creatively when they return to their desks.

If walking isn’t an option – if it’s cold and raining and there is no way you’re going outside – there are other strategies you can employ to kick start your creativity. Do you always write in silence? Try putting on some music, especially if you can find a tune that matches the emotion of the chapter you’re writing. I was once struggling to inject enough misery into a scene (my poor heroine) so I experimented with playing sad music. It worked – although my family got very tired of hearing the same song played over and over again whenever I needed to reduce one of my characters to tears. Scientists have done experiments which prove that listening to their favourite music can help writers glide into their writing zone. And strangely, once you’re there, the music often fades into the background and you won’t even notice it playing, but it’s still inspiring you without you knowing.

Sometimes all that is needed to get your fingers flying over the keyboard again is a change of surroundings. If you’ve always written shut away in the proverbial writing cave, try setting up your laptop in a coffee shop. There is, as far as I know, no scientific basis as to why coffee shops seem to be so conducive to writing, but some writers find it easier to write surrounded by other people rather than in isolation. And there’s an endless supply of coffee.

Even something as simple as changing the font – or the colour of the font – in which you write can be enough to spark your creativity. I have a writer friend who says it works for her every time. But do remember to change your pink ‘Lucida Handwriting’ or purple ‘Javanese Text’ back to ‘Times New Roman’ or ‘Aerial’ in black before you submit your work to an agent or publisher.

If you’re stuck on one particular chapter or scene, write it as bullet points, and skip to a later chapter in your book. It’s surprising how many plot solutions reveal themselves when you’re not staring forlornly into space.

Alternatively, you could try freewriting – when you write without stopping for a set time, typing the first thing that comes into your head as fast as you can. Don’t worry about punctuation, spelling or grammar, just let the words out. I experimented with freewriting when I was having trouble writing an argument between the heroine and hero of my latest novel. This was the result:

IS SOEMTHING WRONG WHAT DO YOU THINK I KJNOW I’VE SEEN THE PHOTOS WHAT PHOTOS WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT OH DON’T GIVE ME THAT YOU KNOW EXACTLYWHAT IM TALKING ABOUT YOU AND I ARE FINSHED YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME IM TIRED OF YOUR LIES

It looks like gobbledygook, but a quick edit turned it into coherent dialogue.

And finally, here are four simple ways to help you get back into your writing zone recommended to me by writer friends:
Change the position of objects on your writing desk
Roll your eyes (scientifically proven to help communication between right and left side of your brain)
Look at something blue (not scientifically proven)
Write lying down (not in a coffee shop)

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Lynne Shelby writes contemporary women’s fiction. Her debut novel, ‘French Kissing’ won the Accent Press and Woman magazine Writing Competition, and her latest novel, ‘There She Goes,’ is the second in a series of stand-alone books set in the world of showbusiness. When not writing or reading, Lynne can usually be found at the theatre or exploring a foreign city – Paris, New York, Rome, Copenhagen, Seattle, Reykjavik – writer’s notebook, camera and sketchbook in hand.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LynneShelbyWriter

Twitter: @LynneB1

Website and Blog: www.lynneshelby.com

Instagram: lynneshelbywriter

 

THERE SHE GOES

‘A delightful romantic read set amidst the drama, hopes and dreams of aspiring stage stars – a must for theatre lovers!’ – Grace Lowrie, author of Before We Fall

When aspiring actress Julie Farrell meets actor Zac Diaz, she is instantly attracted to him, but he shows no interest in her. Julie, who has yet to land her first professional acting role, can’t help wishing that her life was more like a musical, and that she could meet a handsome man who’d sweep her into his arms and tap-dance her along the street…

After early success on the stage, Zac has spent the last three years in Hollywood, but has failed to forge a film career. Now back in London, he is determined to re-establish himself as a theatre actor. Focused solely on his work, he has no time for distractions, and certainly no intention of getting entangled in a committed relationship…

Auditioning for a new West End show, Julie and Zac act out a love scene, but will they ever share more than a stage kiss?

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips