By Frank Ball
Reprint from Christian Communicator, April-May-June 2020
Good writing is hard work, no doubt about it. Less than 20 percent of my writing is the fun, creative stuff. The rest of the time I have deadlines to meet, and I feel the pressure. All morning and afternoon, I edit and rewrite, hoping to get the words right. At some point in the afternoon, I’m done—not finished but “cooked.” I’m worn out and close to brain dead.
What should I do then? The couch and a fourth-rerun episode of Law and Order sound good. Crashing in front of the television might be a suitable choice, but I’m wondering if something else would be more refreshing.
Consider the Playground
Back when I was in grade school, students were allowed to study for only a couple of hours. After that, we were banished to the playground for 20 minutes. Why was recess always more fun than reading, writing, and arithmetic? I believe it had to do with rules. On the playground, there weren’t any.
Outside, I could do whatever I wanted. I could choose the teeter-totter, merry-go-round, rusty swing, or metal slide that needed a coat of wax to make it slippery. I could play in the sand or lie on the grass and study the clouds. Did I say “study”?
Yes, the playground has the potential to enhance our learning and advance our careers.
I never lasted long on the monkey bars. That was too much work. Away from the other kids, I pulled out my bag of marbles and imagined beating the other guys in a game. In real life, I never won; but in my imagination, I never lost.
What if there were no writing rules? Grammar and punctuation don’t matter. You can write anything you want —whatever is easy, whatever is fun. When your mind is allowed to run free, there’s no such thing as bad writing. Without rules, whatever works for you is its own reward.
Leave Your Workplace
I sometimes tried shooting marbles in my own yard but never had any fun there. Why? Home was where I had to mow the yard, pull weeds, and take out the trash. When I played in the yard, I couldn’t avoid seeing the work that needed to be done. The playground was different because it never included work. I could run and play wherever I wanted. The environment was infused with fun.
When you need a break from your writing regimen, leave the place you identify with work. Designate a playground for yourself, a place exclusively reserved for free writing. Never go there to work on editing, revising, rewriting, polishing, and proofreading. If you do, you’ll forever condemn yourself to the life of a groundskeeper.
Recess should be fun, and that requires a place where ideas can run wild. If the weather’s nice, why not sit outside and write? Figure out where you would have the most fun writing, and make time to go there. Eliminate the restrictions on your brain, and let it play.
When you get to your writing playground, sit with paper and pen. You can use your laptop if you like, but beware: You might drop into the usual work routine of edit and rewrite. You don’t have to create something good.
You don’t have to create anything at all. Just write whatever comes to mind.
Have Fun
How high can I go on the swing? Can I sail above the overhead bar? Do I dare swing with such momentum that I circle all the way around, wrapping a loop of chain around the bar? What if I rise to a great height and leap from the seat? My heart pounds as I ponder whether I will crash and skin my knee or land safely on the ground.
The possibilities of imagination are endless. No right or wrong choices exist. Without restrictions, writer’s block won’t stop you. You can be happy with whatever weirdness comes to mind.
When you don’t seem to be getting anywhere with your manuscript, stop and enjoy a little fun. Treat your bogged-down writing like a doorbell ringing. The boy next door asks if you can come out and play. Why not? You weren’t getting much accomplished anyway.
If you can’t physically go somewhere enjoyable, try traveling in your mind. Imagine yourself on a beach in Hawaii, tucked away in a mountain cabin, or at a quiet lakeside picnic table in a park.
Wherever you go, mentally or physically, instead of writing what you have to write, write what gives you pleasure.
When you’re feeling done in, worn out, and close to brain dead, you can find a playground where the fun of creative writing abounds. The break will make you—and your manuscript—fresher and livelier. Maybe as a kid, you learned to whistle while you worked. Now you can whistle while you write. Just take the writing delights from your playground back into your workplace.
