When You’re at a Loss on What to Write

There may come times when you have absolutely no clue where to start, despite some hazy image of the drama looming before your mind. Your imagination may be stifled, you may have lost your wits, your motivation may have flown out the window without you. Yet hopefully there is still a small remnant of all these things left inside of you to cultivate anew.

This small bit of creativity within you is insufficient. Yes, you might have many more years of practice than I’ve ever had to guide your subconscious and gird you with strength to thwart any chance of weak plots or awkward prose. You might have read a hundred books within a year of many different genres to broaden and deepen your artistry. You know, these things may actually be completely sufficient for you to write a decent book or four. Your creativity is insufficient only because you may have no outside examples or advisers to show you how to create good things. Even with these influences, it may be appropriate to break the rules.

A surprising example, however, that is helping me get some ideas for my books’ world comes in a YouTube series of 24 videos. It’s an overview of what is the most ingeniously designed book possible: the Bible. You’d be surprised how plot points, significant places, names, only necessary details, and even hidden messages all comprise the Bible’s form. It is an ornate set of 66 books which create one overarching story.  The series I am watching is called The Bible in 24 Hours, with Chuck Missler. Here’s a link if you’re interested:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=learn+the+bible+in+24+hours+chuck+missler

None of us will ever be able to achieve in literature what the Bible does. We will have to toil, and edit, and edit. But the Bible is one guide that our creativity should not do without.