About Warming Up

Post 569:

            If your creativity is stuck in a quagmire, try reading. A few things to consider. Reasons, if you will:

            Reading gets your mind loose. It’s like stretching before a game. You don’t go out on the field with tight muscles. Shake it out. Touch those toes, or, in my case, try to touch those toes. Whatever’s manageable. Have a little jog, nothing too taxing. Going overboard will leave you warn down. That ain’t cool.

            Reading takes you away from your style. If you’re deeply ensconced in a manuscript, there’s always the danger of reverting to the same beats and ticks. Checking out another author’s skills serves to show that there’s other ways to go with it. I’m not talking about aping. This is just a reminder—there’s endless possibilities—it’s easy to forget.

            Finally, reading can make you mad. Fire you up. I think it’s efficacious to write with a chip on your shoulder. Checking out another book can piss you off one of two ways: either you’ll get jealous that your writing isn’t on their level, or you’ll get riled that you’re holding onto a piece of garbage that got published. Hey, if this jerk can do it, what’s stopping you?

            This might seem pedantic, but I’m not going for cool points on this one. Whatever works. How I see it, anyway.

            Give it a shot. Pick up a book and set the pressure aside. I’m betting you’ll get something out of it. And don’t worry—if it works, no need to give me credit. I’ve been getting no credit for years. It’s sort of my thing.

            Happy writing. Cheers and see you after.