Cabin Fever ~ Writing Yourself Out of the Doldrums

By Lynnette Scott

The chestnuts have already been roasted on an open fire, and Jack Frost has nipped at your nose a time or two. Winter has begun its endless stretch of days
routine and you are feeling antsy, irritable, and agitated. Things couldn't be more perfect.

Perfect? Did you just say "perfect," you wonder incredulously. "Yes," I say, "I said 'perfect'."

Being shut away (or in, depending on how you look at it) from the world has enormous appeal to writers who have discovered the hidden treasures of cabin
fever. Angst has always contained creativity. Growling at the elements and pacing restlessly adds fuel to a heightened state of awareness. Within this
awareness lies the energy of words. Some of my best writing has occurred when I have been turned to stone by boredom and lack of natural sunlight.

I am a big proponent of using everything, absolutely everything, for your writing advantage and personal benefit. Whenever the weather has you stuck inside,
don't turn on the TV. Turn on your word processor instead. Write down how it feels to hear the screams of your precious, brawling children as you gaze
bleakly out of a window, longing for escape and a pair of earplugs. Describe your horror as you discover that snow has claimed yet another school day and
you'll be trapped inside the house with pre-school pandemonium...AGAIN. Can you imagine the torrent of words possible when your car won't start, you've
lost one of your favorite gloves, and the temperature outside is hovering right around death? Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

So, the next time you are entombed indoors, don't just fret. Fret over a keyboard. Write yourself onto a Caribbean beach, suntan oil glistening on your
heated body as you wait for Pedro-The-Cabana-Boy to return with your frosty, fruity, refreshing umbrella drink. Your writing will be enhanced and you'll
discover that boredom ain't that bad. Not bad at all. In fact, it's....

Perfect. Absolutely Perfect.

Copyright 2005© by Lynette Scott. This article may be reprinted only if it is printed in its entirety and a link back to this web page is provided with
the article. All rights reserved.

http://www.uniquecritique.net/LynnetteLynes.html

I like her thinking. Trouble is, I shut myself indoors pretty much all year round and it makes no difference. I'll have to try harder this winter.

Yeah, me too. Maybe I'll make writing more one of my top New Year resolutions.

Same here. Not writing is becoming painful, especially since i slipped into the frame of mind to write both my current and new stories! It all happens in my head, but i never get a chance to put it on paper (or Word)

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I am juggling so many things at once that I can't focus totally on my writing, and so a lot of it is kept in my head until it can be used.

That's a nice way to look at being stuck inside. I had the urge to write a few days ago, but I had no paper! Disaster! Hence no writing got done :(


But I will, will get some more writing done before this year is out. Perhaps I just in to travel to somewhere very cold where I will be snowed in or something....

Hmm. That's quite a delemma. Have you ever thought about writing on a computer instead?

Yes, but unfortunatly I find that I'm not as creative when I'm writing on a computer! I don't know why, I just find ideas come easier when I'm writing on paper. I then usually type it up and change many things :D

Lol. See, i find that because i'm a fast typer i get more writing done on a computer and the words flow more freely, because i don't have to wait for my hand to finish the word it's on.