What should I write on a 'day with nothing to write'?

Hello! I'm Toshio Tsukuda, a poet who delivers 'heart charms' to make your heart feel light and airy.

The 33-Day Writing Challenge Season 4 has also passed its first week (hasn't it?). Compared to Season 2, when I first participated, it feels a bit easier. That said, it doesn't mean writing has become easy; on days when I can't write, I really can't write. Every time I see people updating for 100 or 200 days, I just think it's amazing.

So, today I'd like to write about 'not being able to write.' I've been working as an editor and writer for about 30 years, but I've never had the feeling of being able to write fluently.

To be precise, when I'm writing, it's progressing to some extent. But as soon as I get stuck on something, the editor inside me comes out and asks, 'Wasn't the theme wrong from the start?' or 'Did you prepare?'

And so on, nagging and digging into my heart. This 'editor' exists in everyone's heart. The most important thing when writing is to not listen to the voice of the editor in your heart and just write as much as you can first.

Compared to sentences that stop here and there while you worry, sentences written in one go have momentum. I think this momentum is important for readers to enjoy reading.

And when you reach the period, that's when you invite the editor inside you for the first time. The editor will likely say things like, 'This writing is no good!' or 'You should only put one meaning in one sentence. I told you that before, didn't I?' while marking up your writing with red ink.

Then, while keeping the momentum you've built up, you can see the unnecessary parts that need to be removed for the reader to enjoy the text. From the writer's perspective, you write as you please as a form of preparation, hoping it will 'turn out delicious,' and then you read it from the editor's perspective to remove the excess fat, confusion, and harshness that might bother the reader.

Editing is like cooking. You cut out the delicious ingredients as they are and serve only the best parts to the reader. That's how the manuscript is finished.

You read this article because you couldn't write, so why is it only about how to write? You're right. When you 'can't write,' you should make that inability to write the theme of your piece.

It is the nature of a writer to turn even the inability to write into material.

For a writer, everything in life is material. And the flavor is determined by how you handle that material. Try listing the reasons why you can't write, or try to remember how you wrote when you were able to.

And once you find an entrance, write it all at once, hoping the material will turn out delicious, and let it expand. Please try it if you'd like.

If you have your own 'way to break through a writing block,' please write it in the comments section.

With that said, thank you for reading until the end!

If you'd like, please come back to read tomorrow too.

I am always encouraged by everyone's likes, follows, comments, and tips.
Thank you so much!
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[I also write articles like this]

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