Cindy Kelley | When Inspiration Takes a Vacation

Inspiration is defined as: something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create: a force or influence that inspires someone: a person, place, experience, etc., that makes someone want to do or create something: a good idea.

For a writer –inspiration can strike at any time, in any place. At a dinner party or a fast food restaurant. It could be in church listening to a beautiful hymn or standing in line at the grocery store behind a little old lady who believes she’s being charged too much for tomatoes. A writer pays attention to the details others might miss. They wonder at a provocative smile or sinister frown; watch as a waiter cocks an eyebrow at a patron behind their back. A writer makes up little stories that go with the innocent actions of the people they encounter –romanticize the places they visit. Sometimes, the inspiring nudge is so urgent, so genuine and wonderful, it is as if the idea can’t be written down fast enough –in case, heaven forbid, the flash of brilliance disappears as fast as it came.

Opening sentences dance in an author’s head long before the words actually gel into the sentence that sets the tone for the rest of a book or article –or blog post. Inspiration can be everywhere –found in anything. At least that’s how it’s supposed to go in a perfect world. But of course, we don’t live in a perfect world –and sometimes it can feel as if inspiration has taken a vacation –someplace far, far away.

I’m talking about those dreaded two words –writer’s block. I know some writers pooh-pooh the idea of writer’s block –but I’m not one of them. After writing screenplays for a number of years, and now novels, I’ve had it happen to me occasionally, but I’m reluctant to admit it when I’m in the middle of what I call a “period of lack of focus and productivity.” Sounds like a clinical way to describe what is supposed to be a creative process. Sometimes, it sneaks up on me. For a few days I might struggle to find a pace of writing that seems worthy of even sitting in front of my laptop. I click on my word count at the end of the day and feel a pang of disappointment –but vow to make up for it the next day. Only I don’t. The word count goes down – not up. The blinking cursor mocks me. The seeping doubt slips in and I begin to worry about the story line, spend time uselessly trying to figure out my themes – rip apart the dialogue and then wonder why anyone would want to read any of it.

It’s at this frustrating point that the rest of my life begins to shine. I mean that literally. I work from home, so my kitchen gleams, the furniture is dusted –the windows are so clean they are a danger to birds that try to fly right through them. I’ve been known to mow the lawn, trim the trees - paint a wall. Anything rather than face that darn cursor and my own inability to write something that is remotely interesting.

So after a few days of having a writer’s block pity party –and when I have nothing left to clean, I force myself to sit back down and tackle the blinking cursor. I gather my courage to read what I’ve written and usually wonder why I thought it was so awful. I tell myself the reader can figure out the theme and my dialogue is really quite witty. I glance out my window and see a jet that looks as if it’s skimming the top of the mountains in the distance. I think about the people in the plane and where they’re going and if their trip is happy or sad. I picture an older couple holding hands on their way to see a brand new great-grandchild. I can see the smiles on their faces, the love in their eyes and it reminds me of one of my characters and suddenly I’m writing again –typing words as fast as I can and not worrying for one second about my word count for the day because I know I’ll blast right past my goal. Inspiration is back from vacation and I am back doing something I love.

Readers, what do you do when inspiration takes a vacation? Leave a comment below and be entered to win your own copies of FINDING MERCY and TRACES OF MERCY.

About FINDING MERCY

When Mercy abandons Captain Elijah Hale to search for her true identity, he goes after her. With the threat that bounty hunters might be hot on her trail, Mercy does all she can to stay ahead of the danger, frustrating both the bad men who are after her—and Captain Hale who wants to find her and escort her safely home. But when she stumbles upon clues that help her learn who she is and where she's from, the danger escalates and she has to learn to keep her friends close and her enemies even closer—if she can determine which is which!

This is historical romance with a blend of intrigue from beloved storytellers renowned for their work in film and print.

About Cindy Kelley

Cindy Kelley began her career as a screenwriter. Her first produced screenplay, The Velveteen Rabbit, inspired by the classic children’s book, and directed by Michael Landon, Jr, had a theatrical release.

A writing partnership with Landon followed. Together, they’ve written several of the popular Love Comes Softly movies on the Hallmark Channel. Novels, co-written with Landon, include THE SILENT GIFT, TRACES OF MERCY and their latest release, FINDING MERCY. Cindy has been married to her high school sweetheart, Jim, for thirty-seven years. They make their home in southern Arizona, and they have three children, three grandchildren and three very spoiled dogs.

You can find her on Facebook under Cindy Kelley, author and on Twitter @cindyakelley.