One day, I sat in front of my computer, staring. My hands hovered over the keys, yet nothing (and I do mean nothing) came to my mind. Racing against a deadline, I nervously bit my bottom lip. I was experiencing writer’s block at the most inopportune time. Exhausting my writer’s block reversal techniques, I decided to change my scenery.
I went to a local bar and ordered a glass of wine. By the end of the glass, thoughts began to swirl. So, I ordered another. By the end of the second glass, the notes app was open on my iPhone and the brainstorming felt like a free-flowing torrent of creativity.
Here are a few reasons wine and writing go hand in hand.
Reinvigorates creativity
You will think outside of the box. Especially when writing a creative piece, sometimes it helps to think beyond the realistic to explore exciting options that can be made plausible.
Loosens inhibitions
Everyone knows alcoholic intake helps to bring down the walls we have built to protect ourselves from our own pseudo-crazy behavior. This will give you an advantage of not being afraid that the story may not turn out right, or your writing won’t be good enough.
Time is on your side
Taking a brief pause to enjoy a glass or two of wine gives your mind time to relax under the stress of trying to craft something amazing. That breather may be just what you need to come back to the keys refreshed and ready to go!
Health benefits
Don’t doctors say a glass of red wine each day makes your heart healthy?
Allegorical pair
Writing and wine both begin with a “w.” Wine pairs nicely with just about anything.
Science
The study, Uncorking the muse: Alcohol intoxication facilitates creative problem solving, reported “Moderate intoxication – a blood alcohol content of about 0.075 – improves problem solving and leads to what participants in the study referred to as ‘sudden insights,’ which the sober participants reported significantly less often.”
Having a friend or fellow writer meet you for drinks will encourage raucous stories that offer inspiration for character and plot development.
Realizing that I couldn’t keep this wine and writing goodness to myself, I began a writing class called Uncorked: A Wine and Writing Experience. This class gives writers and prospective authors tips on how to effectively get the story bottled up inside of them out onto paper amid glasses of wine and savory brunch. Check out my Wine & Writing Tip videos for helpful writing pointers and updates on the next Uncorked class.
