Writing Woes: Recycle
Writing in general causes me distress, despite the fact that it is one of my favorite hobbies. Even if my brain is empty most of the time, I enjoy creating. Even if what I write translates to "awful, never do this again," I keep writing. I believe we as artists/creators have heard the phrases "don't delete your work" and "whatever you scrap, use later" before. It's sound advice for me, but not so much for others. And I can see why. I cringe at the thought of storing my conjured garbage, but I do it anyway, even though I think my writing isn't good.
If you've read Retrouvailles (and for those who haven't, spoilers!!! …maybe?), you'll recognize the reveal scene in Chapter 39. It was scraps from the first sentence to the very end of the chapter. I had written it long before I came up with the idea for Chapter 39. In fact, I wasn't sure if the reveal should have been in season 1, but after some thought, I decided not to trash the scene and included it.
I am certain that every creator has experienced writer's block, art block, and so on. Any kind of block will do. And for those of you who are skeptical that this block exists, the answer is yes! We wouldn't be having it otherwise! You could call it a lack of motivation or inspiration, but it is still a roadblock. Moving on, my point is that we've gone through a period where we don't feel motivated to write, create art, and so forth. So we look for "cures." Go for a hike, read a book, browse Pinterest—anything to get your motivation going.
Recycling old or scrapped works could be the cure. Remember that doodle you had in your scraps folder months ago? Or that one scene you wrote and then abandoned to collect dust? Use those scraps if you ever find yourself struggling with your current WIP. Even if you don't believe it, your progress has improved since a few months ago. Rework your scraps and incorporate them into your work in progress. The outcome may surprise you.
