I think the words, "Let's take a break," are some of the loveliest in the English language.
A break can mean having fun, eating a snack, or renewing our energy.
It can also mean seeing our stories in a new way.
A friend mentioned a writing exercise she did with a group. Write for a certain amount of time--say, 15 minutes. Then take a break for 5 minutes, walking around and not consciously thinking about your story, novel, essay, or poem. Then go back to your writing.
She guarantees that you'll go back to it with an insight.
I love this exercise. Often we think that writing involves work, work, work. But we can also be working while we seem to be doing nothing. A part of our brain is still thinking about our story, even if we're not aware of it. That 5-minute break can give our brain time to "churn."
This is an especially great exercise to do if you're stuck.
Try the 5-minute break. And if someone asks why you're not writing, you can honestly answer, "I am!"
