Without boredom, your mind can’t wander and day dream. Unfortunately, it seems boredom is harder to come by these days, so you’ll have to find it.
Image via NBC.
Neil Gaiman, author of books like American Gods, Coraline and Neverwhere, recently spoke with Seth Meyers, the host of NBC’s Late Night, about the odds and ends of being a writer. When Meyers asked him to share some advice for aspiring writers, Gaiman explained why boredom is such a powerful tool:
I think it’s about where ideas come from, they come from day dreaming, from drifting, that moment when you’re just sitting there… The trouble with these days is that it’s really hard to get bored. I have 2.4 million people on Twitter who will entertain me at any moment… it’s really hard to get bored. I’m much better at putting my phone away, going for boring walks, actually trying to find the space to get bored in. That’s what I’ve started saying to people who say ‘I want to be a writer,” I say ‘great, get bored.’
The key takeaway here is that Gaiman says you should get bored. Embracing your boredom is all well and good, but it’s more useful for your mind if you actually pursue it. Get away from your distractions and let your mind do its thing. You can watch the full interview at the link below.
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