The Secret to Writer’s Block: Nature’s Inspiration - Guest Post by JP McLean
Nature: A Writer’s Cure-all
Taking inspiration from nature is as old as time. Famous authors like Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf, and Henry David Thoreau took walks in nature to spur their creativity. Ernest Hemingway was known to write outdoors in the countryside. Photos of Mark Twain show him scribbling away in a cozy country home surrounded by nature. Even authors who are not particularly known as nature lovers are often photographed in offices with stunning landscapes just outside a nearby window.
I, too, have taken inspiration outdoors. When I’m stuck with an uncooperative character, or a plot problem, I take a break. Sometimes I go for a walk, other times I retreat to the garden to deadhead spent flowers and pull weeds. The fresh air clears my head and doing something other than typing with my hands stretches my tendons and fingers. My mind wanders in new directions when I’m outdoors. The scents and sounds distract me and let my subconscious work on the problem for a while. Often, the solution to the writing problem pops out of my head before I’ve even made it back inside.
In my writing, nature plays a much bigger role than inspiration. Nature is a character. My seven-book Gift Legacy series is set on the west coast where the ocean features prominently. I pay attention on those walks I take, noting the way the light hits the water, the screech of shorebirds skimming the waves. The paths I walk are the same paths my characters take when they fly above the root-strewn earth, or hovering in the tree canopy (because yes, my characters can fly!). In my newest release, Blood Mark, also set on the west coast, my character races up mountains, dawdles by the ocean, and spars in a local park.
And getting out into nature has other important benefits, especially for writers. Writing for long stretches of time takes a toll on your health. You might not think a job that requires little physical activity would be hard on your body, but it is. Back pain, neck strain, shoulder cramps, and headaches are just a few of the problems writers encounter. Sitting is the new smoking—it’ll kill you if you don’t counteract the sedentary occupation with physical fitness.
In addition to my solo walks, I’d been using the local gym until COVID closed it down. When that happened, a number of my gym buddies put together a walking group. For months, three times a week, come rain or shine, we met up and headed out. But when summer rolled around, and COVID restrictions eased, our group fell by the wayside. Now it’s just a few stragglers who get together once a week or so.
Today, even though the local gym has reopened, I’ll still head out for a walk. I enjoy the alone time, the feel of the path under my feet. If a friend wants to join me, I’m game for that too. Nature blows the cobwebs out of my head and invigorates my body. For me, walking in nature goes hand-in-hand with writing, and I hope to be doing both for a very long time.
JP (Jo-Anne) McLean writes urban fantasy and supernatural thrillers which have received honourable mentions from the Whistler Independent Book Awards and the Victoria Writers Society. Reviewers call her books addictive, smart, and fun. JP is a graduate of the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business. She is a certified scuba diver, an avid gardener, and a voracious reader. She lives with her husband on Denman Island on Canada’s west coast. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her cooking dishes that look nothing like the recipe photos or arguing with weeds in the garden.
Learn more about JP McLean here:
Website: https://jpmcleanauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JPMcLeanBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jpmcleanauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jpmcleanauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jpmclean
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-p-mclean-cd5829f0-6e0d-4189-b561-44651ad67b9e
I hope that these ideas help you to break through!
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Disclaimer: This post is exclusively the words and views of the guest blogger and do not necessarily represent the views of Heather L. Barksdale. The story featured has not been read or reviewed by Heather’s bookshelf.
