When you're constantly in the midst of emotion with your character, it's easy to run dry. I find the most emotion-wrought parts of the story are the easiest to write. I fall in love with the characters, feel enraged, and burn through the moment with them. But when I'm done writing the scene, I fall away empty. Over the years, I've found a few ways to combat this.
First and foremost, music.
Playing music while I write makes it possible to go on for hours and hours before becoming depleted. Depending on the scene I'm writing, I'll listen to different things. Usually, it's those keyword playlists on YouTube, but occasionally I'll aim for something specific.
Aromatherapy is my number 2.
Pick me up? Mint or orange. A scene with hellfire? Cedarwood. There's an oil for everything and many ways to disperse them into the air. I have a nebulizer diffuser and a water diffuser. They say the sense of smell works wonders for bringing forth memories and when we write we are using our past, our experiences to shape the emotion that ends up on paper.
If the other two options haven't worked, this is my last move.
I take a break.
Maybe take a shower or eat a snack. Give myself some pampering. Sometimes I'll read a book or play a video game. The sky is the limit. The point is to take some time to regroup and then come back to your project. Decide what you would like to do, set a time limit or schedule when you plan to return to your project, and viola. It's time to recharge.
What tricks do you use to help recharge your creativity? Tell me about them.