Bonjour everyone! It's been one crazy week, well, more like two months. I'm struggle busing with my classes, especially my French class. Oh my lanta, it's like I can't even read a sentence in French. My mind is hitting a blank. How do I get over the French slump? Go to Paris and drink wine by the Seine River at dusk? I wish. Instead I Google Map my favorite spots in Paris, grab a spoon, some Ben & Jerry's and cry over my keyboard as I reminisce the good ol' days. Pathetic? Yes, you could say that. But that's what happens when you come back from an amazing study abroad trip that changed your life. You miss your friends, the places, the smells, the unfamiliarity of being in a different country as well as the familiar spots that became your 'hangout' places. Yes, it's been almost three months to the day and I miss it every single day. What does this have to do with writing? To me, broadcast writing is a little like studying abroad.
Broadcast writing looks simple but it's more complex than people think it is. Writing for a certain time limit is one thing but writing EFFECTIVELY for a time limit is something else. I guess you can say the same about going abroad. It's one thing going to a different country on a vacation but going abroad to study and staying for example two months like I did is different. In broadcast writing there are rules one has to follow, just like going on a study abroad, one must know the country's customs. In broadcast writing there are certain formats one needs to follow just like a study abroad you have a set school schedule. Maybe I am just crazy or really miss Paris and trying really hard to relate everything to summa' 2k15. Actually, no, it's not hard for me to relate anything to Paris. But that's a different story. I guess what I am trying to say that I find a weird relationship between studying abroad and broadcast writing. Hopefully, I will get out of this funk. After all, I am out of Ben & Jerry's right now...
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It's time we talk about that terrible stage that every writer goes through, the slump. It's that moment when nothing comes to your head, your hands can't type a coherent sentence, and everything around you is distracting. I feel like I'm in that moment 80 percent of my life. Okay, maybe 90 percent. How does one get around "the slump"? Some people suggest just pushing through and the words will eventually flow on to the screen or paper, if you are old school. I know that I have done that a few times and in some instances, it has worked! I usually have to resort to pushing through at 4 a.m. the night before a paper is due. But I hate I say it, it's not my best work. Others (the smart ones) start a week before and work on their writing little by little. I wish I can say that but I am not one of those people... So how do I get through a writing slump? I do a combination of things. It is always best to start early. I hate myself when I start a writing assignment the night or two before it's due and get writer's block. I like to start early on an assignment and immediately look for inspiration. Wether I find it on YouTube or Facebook or on sign plastered on the back of a bus, I am searching. Once I have found my muse, I make sure to refer to it as much as possible. It is a helpful reminder of what you are supposed to write about it. If your writing takes on a different direction, GO WITH IT. It's your brain telling you something better. Take your writing little by little so you don't feel burned out. I know that's the case with many people. They want to get it all done within one sitting. Sorry, folks, writing takes effort and patience. Another piece of advise, take breaks! Either take a nap or go for a walk and then sit back down to write. That's the best way to get out of a slump. Don't overwhelm your brain. I leave a poorly made YouTube video about how to get out of a writer's slump. Hey, it's the content that counts. Good luck and may the words be ever in your brain. One of the biggest problems that I have with writing anything, is that I am never comfortable enough to write. I realized that in order for you to get going with your piece, you need to be in the right setting. Now, it took me years to find the perfect spot to get my creative juices flowing. It wasn't until recently that I discovered that there is no perfect writing spot. You just have to write and push through the distractions. I'm not saying that tree next to the construction site is a great place to write but anywhere as long you can focus on your work. For some people it's their bedroom, for others it's a local café. It takes time and patience and an open mind to find a spot that suits you.
I find libraries a great place to write or in my bedroom at 3 a.m. gets my brain going to knockout a French paper. Just push through the noises that distract you and you will see that writing get easier. I found that once you have a paragraph written, then it's all downhill from there. You passed the hardest step which is starting. |
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