I​ sometimes wonder why I crave new shows, new books, new movies. I also wonder why I can’t just turn on words like water coming out of the tap.

M​y head, after all, is full of words. It’s not as if I run out of them. What does happen, I must admit, is that they sometimes refuse to go in the right order. But why?

T​he other evening I wanted to write. I wanted to burn the world down with words.

U​nfortunately, it was late, and I chose sleep instead.

B​ut I had wanted to be writing all week, and not had the words. What was different about that evening?

W​ell, I had had a delightful day. I had watched a couple of my favourite movies with one of my favourite people, and I had enjoyed them. The stories had brought me joy.

A​ couple of years ago I was talking to a fellow writer about writer’s block. And she and I coined what is to this day still a perfect phrase.

R​eplenishing word supply.

S​tories feed stories. Words feed words. Don’t feel guilty for taking time to enjoy what other people make. It builds your words.

Happy creating!

---

Jena Ren, 2023