Every life will have some bit of wasteland, some empty lot where daydreams come to be. Learn to spend time there. — Linda McCullough Moore
Writers know all about the pressure to be productive—word counts, deadlines, revisions, and submissions. But creativity doesn’t thrive only under the weight of deadlines and goals. It also grows in the unmeasured spaces—those “empty lots” where we pause, reflect, and simply can be.
What looks like wasteland might actually be fertile ground for imagination.
Stillness as a Discipline
How many times has an idea “just come to you out of nowhere”? Where were you? What were you doing? If you didn’t make note of those thoughts, you might remember that you had an idea, but chances are, you can’t remember what they were.
Sometimes, the most important part of your craft is waiting, listening, and letting your mind wander. And then write and expand on those thoughts. This may feel counterintuitive in a world that praises hustle, but daydreaming is a writer’s discipline. It’s quiet preparation, not idleness.
The next time you find yourself daydreaming, write the situation as if it were part of a story. What was your character doing? Why? What did she want? This practice can provide precious seeds for any kind of storytelling, both fiction and nonfiction.
Story Incubators
The subconscious mind is always at work, arranging ideas like puzzle pieces. What feels like “nothing happening” is often your mind building bridges you’ll want to use later. That’s why solutions to plot weaknesses, fresh metaphors, or character insights often surface while folding laundry or staring out the window. Don’t lose that thought.
Identify one of your “wasteland” activities in your life—something routine and quiet. Make a conscious choice this week to embrace it without distraction. See what thoughts arise when your allow silence to speak.
Value of the Pause
Instead of resenting downtime, honor it. Carry a notebook, keep a notes app handy, or record quick voice memos. Like a seed that sprouts and becomes a tree, these creative tidbits may one day become the backbone of your next project. A writer’s job is not only to write but to notice—and noticing thrives in the pauses.
Take a moment to write a short scene or poem inspired by something you saw or thought about during an “idle” time this week. It could be as simple as a passing glance, a sound, or a fleeting memory. Think about it. Write about it. And let the thought grow.
The Wishing Well
Every writer’s wishing well looks different. For some, it’s the grocery line where you wonder why the wait must be so long. For others, it’s the morning walk or the sleepless midnight hour that have become routine when they could have been a creative resource.
Wherever your wishing opportunities might be, reach past the reality of “what isn’t yet” to “what life might be” in your stories. Don’t let your wishing well be a dry hole. Let it be where great stories are waiting to be drawn up.
Writers who jot down a few thoughts will gather a handful of stories. But those who scatter words freely, planting ideas generously, will reap an abundant harvest of inspiration. — 2 Corinthians 9:6 Scripture for Writers
Moments for Creativity
In the quiet stillness where daydreams play,
Ideas can come tiptoeing, dancing your way.
Don’t rush through the silence, plugging the gap,
For stories are often waiting inside of that nap.
The wastelands look empty, just dirt and some weeds,
But oh, they are fertile for planting new seeds.
A thought may pop up as you’re tying your shoe,
A story that whispers, “I’ve been here for you.”
When walking or waiting or stuck in a chair,
A spark may ignite from the stillness that’s there.
So treasure the pauses, the moments of rest,
For that’s when your mind can be weaving its best.
Grab every whisper, each flicker, each gleam.
Collect them and cherish each fragment and dream.
Your wasteland is really a wellspring in disguise,
A playground of wonder, a gift for creative eyes.
So where are your wastelands, those quiet, still spots—
The drama in your day and the unused plots?
Go linger there often. Let your mind paint brightly.
Those moments for creativity shouldn’t be taken lightly.
For a practical guide to storytelling, check out Storytelling at Its Best
