Unblocking writers block

I spent a few hours in the library the other day working on a particular scene for the book. It was an attempt to unpack and explore Nyoman’s childhood fear of evil spirits, especially as they become more active in the night.

For some reason I was finding it incredibly difficult to get in the head of a terrified, young Balinese child. Sitting in the warm library at a desk butting against a window, I stared out of it, as though the source of inspiration was lurking somewhere behind the gum trees. Nope, it wasn't.

Then it came to me. The early days of my writing found me searching on YouTube for a channel that plays Balinese Gamelan music. Untangling the wires of my Kmart headphones, I plugged them in to my laptop and popped the little rubber buds in my ears. Pressing play, my whole mood instantly shifted. I was transported to an ornate, beautifully carved timber clad Balinese hotel lobby. Serenaded by the rise and fall of the melodic gamelan instruments being beautifully played.

Gede, wearing all white and a perfectly tied and positioned udeng on his head, welcomed me with a smile a refreshingly cool facial towel and tall glass of shimmering tropical juice. A slice of pineapple perched astride the rim of the glass, pierced with a little umbrella. You know the ones? Crafted from teeny wooden sticks and covered in delicate, decorative tissue paper. They pop open just like a regular umbrella. Oh I love those tacky little things. I swirled the ice in my glass with the bendy plastic straw (they still have plastic straws in some parts of Bali) and sipped casually on the luscious juice. Sigh the holiday starts now!

Snapping back to reality I was sitting in the warm library at a desk butting against a window. Rain falling heavily outside. The YouTube channel had most certainly done the trick. One foot in Perth and one foot in Bali. If music worked so powerfully in transporting me back to Bali, it could work just as well in setting the scene I was struggling with.

Actors, in their industry, call it method acting. They don’t just leap out on stage and instantly embrace the character they are portraying. They have to spend time becoming that character, using deep psychological and emotional preparation. It’s immersion. Thankfully I'm not an actor, but I can see the vision.

I quickly opened my 17th tab and searched YouTube for haunted, scary, spooky music. With the eery sounds of the night, howling wolves, screeching bats and hooting owls coming through my headphones, I suddenly found myself being able to relate to a terrified, young Balinese child. Thank you Lord. You are so good. And you will be pleased to hear I resisted the urge to start the scene with “It was a dark and stormy night….” I’ve come so far.

Please continue to pray for this creative process, the completion of the book and the spreading of the hope that can only be found in Jesus. I'm happy you're here!