Eye & Pen: Lifestyle, Travel, Photography and Literature
  • Main
  • Blog
  • Topics
    • Accommodations
    • Bucket List
    • Cheap Travel
    • Culture
    • Essay
    • Destinations
    • Inspiration
    • Interviews
    • Narratives
    • Personal
    • Photography
    • Restaurants
    • Reviews
    • Safe Travel
    • Travel Planning
    • Trip Update
    • Weekly Wanderlust
  • Photo Gallery
    • Photo Gallery – All Places
    • Photo Gallery – Aruba
    • Photo Gallery – England
    • Photo Gallery – Europe
    • Photo Gallery – Iceland
    • Photo Gallery – Ireland
    • Photo Gallery – Italy
    • Photo Gallery – Northern Ireland
    • Photo Gallery – Other
    • Photo Gallery – Scotland
    • Photo Gallery – USA
  • Services
    • Blog Coaching
    • Graphic Design
    • Hire Brandon
    • Advertising
  • About Brandon
  • Contact

When Writer’s Block Comes, I Pack My Bag & Change Location

3/19/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture
In the midst of writing my debut novel, I go through the now-familiar rollercoaster where some days I can pump out 3,000 words no problem, versus the more-often struggle to manage a mere 500. And then there are times, like today, that the page stays blank as I stare at my screen, where my foggy brain barely registers its own reality, and the room around me, let alone the world I’ve created within my story. It can be maddening at times, and depressing at others, but essentially what it comes down to, I’ve learned, is that I am not close enough to the scene I’m writing and I need clarity. Often times, clarity only comes with a spark of creativity, which is why I now have a ritual for writer’s block.
Picture
Typically, if I’m struggling more with the approach of what’s happening in the scene I’m writing, I get frustrated, more for a lack of ideas and clarity than for, say a lack of flowing words. Sometimes this block requires several days of letting the problem simmer, often below the surface in my subconscious, which is remarkable when I an realize how certain scenes manifested within the novel. Because usually the more I stew, the more it festers in my mind and frustrates me, but now, I approach each uncertainty that I can’t figure out easily as something I need to let be for a time. And sometimes this works wonders. Other times, I need to talk it out with someone. But lastly, there are moments when my brain simply fails me. That’s when I know it’s time to get the hell out of town.

The monotony of being a writer is that you’re often stuck in front of a screen or typewriter, or with your nose in a book. While we bookworms love the shut-in lifestyle, it does mean that finding new inspiration outside of literature can be quite a challenge. In times such as these, I pack my laptop up in my Sutter’s Mill bag and I get in my car and I drive. Having no destination is what fuels new experiences, and for me, it’s that uncertainty that breeds inspiration. So I go, and I stop whenever I see someplace or someone interesting, and sometimes I just people watch, other times I like to strike up conversation when possible, because the more individuals I meet, the more variety of experience I have and can pull from when my story calls for it. You wouldn’t believe some of the characters I met out there, the stories, the perspectives, and each with their own answer to what makes them happy.

So today, I drove an hour west until I came across a little coffee shop in a cute little Ohio town, and I wrote. And it streamed from me. I watched people living their lives, creating a backstory in my mind for each who walked by that caught my curiosity, and from that, I gained fresh eyes to relieve me of my block. One of my favorite places to go is just about anywhere on High Street in Columbus, because you’re right on the Ohio State campus, where there’s all sorts of interesting people. And even better is checking out the Gallery Hop, which happens on the first Saturday of every month, because there’s few times when the widest variety of people come out at one time, so people watching is at its finest. Other than that, time is the best to cure the worst of the blocks a writer can have. Share below of what are your remedies are to writer’s block.


Picture
In the above article, I mentioned my laptop bag, the Sutter’s Mill Tool Bag by United by Blue. The Sutter’s Mill bag is in fact one of the most versatile and quality made bags I’ve had the pleasure of working with, because it’s setup perfectly for a wide range of uses, like replacing a traditional gear bag, or tool bag, or even a briefcase.

United by Blue specializes in outdoor clothing, camp gear, fine bags, and so much more, and the Sutter’s Mill Tool bag is among their finest in style, build and quality as far as I’ve seen. With pockets inside and out and because of its wide inner compartment, the Sutter’s Mill can be employed as a camera bag or an overnight bag, too. The bag has dual rolled top handles with a 6” drop, interior open pockets and a padded laptop sleeve (which accommodates up to a 13” laptop). On the exterior, zipper pockets on each side give you a utility pouch to work with, as well as several open pockets that are perfectly sized for hammers and clip on tools. The material feels of long lasting quality, as does the stitching, and the leather has been worked smooth, which is also pleasant to the touch (and it smells heavenly). Additionally, the fabric has been treated with a water repellent protection, which is rated as downpour proof. The dimensions of the Sutter’s Mill Tool Bag is 15.5”x 12.75” x 8”, with a storage volume of 27-liters.

All in all, I came away very impressed by the quality, design and craftsmanship of United by Blue’s Sutter’s Mill tool bag. I’ve used it as a tool bag, a camera bag, a laptop and briefcase where necessary, and love it. It bridges the gap between a myriad of uses, which allows me to live more simply by relying on the bag for majority of my work and travel needs.
​If you would like to learn more about United by Blue, click here.


Article written by Brandon Scott
Product photos by Brandon Scott

(Photo of people walking by pennuja via Flickr)

1 Comment
Christine link
4/3/2018 09:27:06 pm

I'm convinced that the answer to dealing with writer's block is movement. Which is kind of what you're saying, too. I go for walks in the evenings, and when I'm feeling blocked on something, I'll head out for a walk to work it out. The very act of walking seems to jiggle things loose and new ideas just float into my mind. Once while walking, a story-related song (of my own making) just popped into my head and I realized my god, this story could be a musical. Then in my mind's eye, I suddenly saw the choreography of an on-stage dance to that song. Experiences like this don't happen when I'm just sitting at my desk.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Sign up for my VIP email list:

Picture
Picture

Article Topics

All
About Blogging
Accommodations
Bucket List
Cheap Travel
Culture
Destinations
Discussion
Entertainment
Environment
Essay
Fine Art Feature
Gear
General
Giveaway
Green Living
Guest Posts
Inspiration
Interviews
Lifestyle
Luxury
Narratives
Not Recommended
Other
Personal
Photography
Restaurants
Reviews
Safe Travel
Trip Planning
Trip Update
USA Road Trip
Video
Weekly Wanderlust

RSS Feed

Monthly Archive

November 2021
September 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012

*Disclaimer: All blog posts featuring products, reviews, or suggestions for products or services are governed by our Disclosure. Products were received free to review, so to provide authentic opinions and content for our readers. The opinions and ideas in this post are the writer's own and are uninfluenced by any other person or business. We receive no compensation for product reviews. Links within non-product review posts may be sponsored.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.