I am not sure if this is so much an age-old problem that all writers come across or if it was one of my fears.
Around last year — I’m not sure when — there was a moment when I thought I would have a dry writing period once again. By dry period, I mean a time where I won’t be writing, no ideas are forming, and nothing inspires me to write. It isn’t directly a bad time for me because I don’t feel any regret while in the middle of that period. Still, it hits me later, making me wonder what I could have done to prevent it. I can also have something of the same happen with reading where I do not want to read anything for a time, but that is another topic for later.
I would not call this writers’ block either, as that can be overcome by keeping good writing habits. And maybe it can come from being lazy, but dry periods also feel like a much deeper problem, almost like being burned out, which also doesn’t quite feel right. Maybe, what I’m trying to do is explain something that can’t be explained and causing me to get off-topic. Either way, this is not what I wanted to talk about. What I wanted to speak about was stories, about the idea (or fear) of not getting any fresh story ideas to write. It might seem like something to brush aside or dismiss as impossible, but I believe it is something to at least consider. Not in a negative light, but a practical one.
Not everyone can write one book, let alone a duology, trilogy, or series. There will be times when you will have to shelf a project because the idea just isn’t there at that moment. But then, now you’re left wondering what to do or when would be the time to pick that project back up. Or maybe the book was finished, and you want to write another book, but nothing is giving you any ideas. THAT is what I am speaking of. Logically, waiting is the thing to do, but what if you end up waiting for weeks or months? What if a year or years past? When does the panic set it? Do you panic?
That is what I want to know. I’ve had such questions because, at one point, I found myself wondering what would happen next when I finished working on a project. I didn’t stop writing, but I guess you could say I was doing fanfic, which for me wasn’t the same thing. It wasn’t original in my mind (and trust me, I am not stepping on anyone’s toes who think otherwise) because all the work and characters were already made. But when I walked away from it, I felt almost as if I were in limbo. As if I wasn’t sure if I could think of a single original idea. The thought scared me. So, that’s why I’m asking this question.
Is there ever a time when no ideas come? When you don’t have a project waiting to be started? I’m curious.
