Refill Your Creative Well

We expect ourselves to be go, go, go all of the time. We want to produce, we want to finish what we started. We don’t want to slow down. But, if we are constantly working our inner well begins to dry up and we feel worn out.

There is a natural rhythm to life. If we allow a little Winter’s rest into our soul, a new bounty of growth can come forth. Sometimes we need to take take a break from writing and have a day of renewal. A day to refill the well.

Does your well need refilling?

You feel exhausted

No words want to come out of you

You have lost steam

Its hard to think



A dry well feels fried, empty, exhausted. It can happen after a large bout of writing, or long periods of sustained writing or creative pursuits. You literally feel as dried up as a piece of toast. When you try to write, it is an uphill struggle and no words want to come out. If you are feeling this way, try taking a day off and include activities that will inspire you while allowing your mind to rest.

A Day of Renewal

To get the most out of this day, do things that purposefully relax and inspire you. The most important aspect of refilling the well is to soak in the inspiration that is all around you, and allow your mind time to rejuvenate.

Day of Renewal Ideas:

• Practice other creative pursuits, such as drawing, cooking etc
• Go for a walk around the neighborhood or at a park, observe nature and the people around you
• Go to a museum
• Go to an art gallery
• Browse online art galleries: http://www.deviantart.com/ or http://www.elfwood.com/
• Read a good book
• Read inspiring blogs
• Clean and organize your writing area, arrange resources and inspiration around you.
• Breathe, meditate, take a nap
• Try just being, allowing your mind to wander and relax without doing anything at all.
• Go to a book store or a library and peruse books
• Go to a  shopping area or coffee shop to observe and soak in the atmosphere
• Spend time with friends
• Watch an inspiring movie
• Laugh: find funnies, watch a comedy, or check out http://icanhascheezburger.com/
• Listen to music – without doing anything else. Just absorb and relax.
• Yoga, Dance, Stretch – or other physical activity that you enjoy
• Clip inspiring pictures and messages from magazines or print them from the web and put them up at  your writing area.
• Go out with your camera and take pictures
• Go on a writers field trip: tour of the places in your town that inspire you
• Go for a long drive
• Spend time with pets

I am going to take my own advice on this one and give myself a day of renewal.

I'll see you all again next week with further inspiration and adventures from the writer's journey.

-Andrea