The tools of writing are important, but so is the act of writing itself. Finding the time to write and be inspired by your subject matter is crucial to any piece of creative writing. Here are some tips and tricks for making sure your words are coming from a place that’s deep inside you rather than shallowly imitative or derivative.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Emphasize creativity: Creative writing is a powerful tool that goes beyond just the technical aspects. Prioritize fostering creativity in your writing process. |
| 2. Balance with tools: While creativity is crucial, don’t underestimate the importance of using effective tools, such as writing software or resources, to enhance your work. |
| 3. Expressive self-discovery: Creative writing allows for self-expression and can lead to personal growth and insight as you explore your thoughts and emotions. |
| 4. Improve communication: Developing creative writing skills can contribute to improved communication abilities, both in written and verbal forms. |
| 5. Versatility matters: Creative writing skills can be applied in various fields, enhancing your adaptability and providing a valuable asset in different contexts. |
Write In The Morning Or On Your Commute
If you have a busy schedule, it can be difficult to find time to write. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to squeeze in some creative writing time when you’re on the go.
Write in the morning or on your commute. If you have morning classes and don’t want to jot down your thoughts while driving, consider doing so before bedtime instead. You may even find that writing helps you fall asleep more quickly!
Write at night after work/school is over for the day, or before going out with friends/family if they get home later than you do. If this doesn’t work for whatever reason (e.g., if their schedule changes abruptly).
Try writing before bedtime this will allow both sets of people involved with each other’s schedules to get what they need from one another: those who need help with childcare & housework tasks can get them done faster,
Meanwhile, those who need quiet & peacefulness will have more opportunities available during which they’ll feel relaxed enough that their ideas come flowing faster than usual.
Building a strong foundation in creative writing often starts with inspiration. Explore a variety of writing prompts and exercises in our free resource: Creative Writing Prompts, designed to spark your creativity and elevate your writing skills.
Keep A Notebook At All Times, For Inspiration
A notebook is a great tool for keeping track of your ideas. You should keep one in your bag and another in the car so that you can jot down any thoughts or inspiration as soon as it comes to you.
Be sure to write down all the great ideas that come to you as soon as possible ideas are easy to forget about! A notebook is also useful for making lists, especially if you have a lot of things on your mind and want them organized into categories. A notebook can help with brainstorming ideas for stories and poems too!
Carry a voice recorder when you’re out and about, to record dialogue happening in the world around you.
Enhancing your creative writing skills requires consistent practice. Engage in diverse writing exercises that can help you refine your craft. Discover effective techniques in our guide: Writing Exercises to Improve Creative Writing Skills.
A Voice Recorder Is An Easy Tool To Have On Hand, And It’s Something You Can Use In The Moment
Record what you hear as people talk. Do they say something funny? Does someone say something sad? Is there a story here? Make sure to get names and locations if possible, so you’ll know how to include this dialogue in your writing later.
Turn the tables on yourself and record your conversations with others. Use these recordings as inspiration for dialogue or monologues in your writing projects! You’ll be amazed at how much more interesting characters sound when they’re talking like real people do (instead of sounding like robots).
You Can Also Use These Recordings For Other Purposes
Write plays from them! Most plays have very little dialogue because most of their words are spoken directly by actors; however, you might find that certain parts of these recordings make excellent monologues when read aloud by one actor or many actors together—depending on what kind of play it is.
Change Your Writing Environment To Break Through Writer’s Block
Take a break. Writer’s block can be the result of stress, depression, or illness. Take time to relax and get back into the groove of writing before continuing your project.
Read something else. Often when we are blocked in our writing, it is because we have been reading too much of our work and have gotten stuck on what is familiar or comfortable for us to write about instead of trying new things that inspire us to continue our creative process of putting pen (or fingers) to paper (or screen).
Reading other people’s work is an excellent way not only to learn from them but also to spark your creativity!
Embarking on your journey as a beginner in creative writing? Our comprehensive guide, The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Short Story for Beginners, provides step-by-step instructions, valuable insights, and practical tips to help you craft compelling short stories.
Read More Books
You know how to write, but are you reading? I mean, reading? If you say yes, then that’s great! Keep it up; reading is an important part of being a writer and it will only help you improve. If you say no…well, then I hope this article will convince (or frighten) you into picking up a book again.
If there was one thing that would make our writing better than what it currently is right now, it would be for us all to read more books. Read books that are not related to your field (science fiction or romance). Read books that aren’t even in the same genre as yours (literary fiction or memoirs).
And if all else fails and believe me it won’t read something outside of what your story is about: maybe some biographies or historical accounts about people who lived in other eras and places than yours? You never know when inspiration might strike!
Listen To Music, Audio Books, And Recordings Of Poets Reading Their Work Aloud
You might think you don’t have time for this. But really, you do. You can listen to music, audiobooks, and podcasts while doing other things: cleaning your room, folding laundry, or waiting in line at the grocery store.
Listening to some combination of poetry readings and audiobooks will help improve your vocabulary, introduce you to new ideas and expose you to different forms of literature (poetry versus fiction).
You’ll also find that listening is a great way to both relax and focus on writing problems you might find yourself deeply engaged in an audiobook while also working out at the gym or driving through traffic. And when all else fails? Listen to a few songs by Bob Marley on repeat until they inspire some kind of idea!
Find Ways To Be Alone With Your Writing
It’s important to find an environment that you can use as a writing retreat. A desk is fine, but it’s nice to be able to sit on the floor or lay down if necessary. Having a few different places where you feel comfortable writing will make it easier to go back and forth between them.
This is also the time when you should start listening to music while you write but don’t get too attached! I’ll talk more about this later in this chapter, but know that eventually, your taste will change, and hearing other people’s music may become distracting or even hurtful when trying to write something meaningful.
Draw inspiration from the works of other writers to fuel your creativity. Explore captivating examples of creative writing in our collection: Pieces of Creative Writing for Inspiration. These pieces can ignite your imagination and guide your own creative endeavors.
Be Ruthless With Editing And Rewriting
Remember that it’s okay to start over. If you’ve spent weeks writing something and then realize it’s not working, don’t be afraid to throw away your work and start again. If you spend hours reading a book or blog post on editing techniques and still feel like your writing isn’t good enough, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Be willing to admit that sometimes what makes sense in your head doesn’t translate well onto the page and that’s okay!
I’m not saying these things because I want self-loathing writers everywhere; quite the contrary. I’m saying them because I believe in everyone’s ability as a writer and want everyone to experience the joys of creative thought and expression, no matter how long it takes them (or how many drafts) before they get there.
Set Yourself Word Targets (1,000 Or 2,000 Or 3,000).
To get started, you need to have a goal in mind. This can be anything from writing a novel to writing a short story to write a blog post. You could try writing something as simple as a poem or song to something more complicated like scripts and screenplays. It doesn’t matter what you set your sights on; just pick something that will help motivate you and make sure it’s attainable.
I recommend setting yourself word targets (1,000 or 2,000 or 3,000). Once you’ve reached those targets for each project, give yourself some time off before starting again with another goal that might be slightly harder than the last one for example: write 1,000 words per day for two weeks straight,
Then take one week off before picking up another project where I challenge myself even further by aiming for 3k per day for two weeks straight instead!
Minimize distractions (RSS feeds and social media notifications, for example).
Turn off notifications for all social media, email, and other apps.
Download an app that will automatically turn off your phone’s Wi-Fi connection after a certain time of day (like Night Mode), or set your phone to silent/vibration only mode at night as well.
Make sure you’re not listening to music while you write. This can be more effective than going completely silent, especially if the lyrics are distracting.
If you live with other people in close quarters, ask them to respect your need for quiet during this time so that they don’t invite over friends who aren’t aware of how important your writing time is for you or even make noise on purpose just because they’re bored staying home alone!
Set specific time limits for what you’re going to do (“I’ll work on this for thirty minutes”) rather than worrying about how long a project will take overall.
Setting specific time limits for what you’re going to do (“I’ll work on this for thirty minutes”) rather than worrying about how long a project will take overall can be helpful when you’ve got writer’s block. It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re not getting as much done as you want, but if your goal is just to get started, that might be all it takes.
If this approach works for you, try setting a timer and seeing how it goes. You can always extend the time limit if need be!
Write every day. Even just something small like a blog post or Facebook status update will help you find the time and desire to write more often.
The best thing you can do is to write every day, even if it’s something as small as a blog post or Facebook status update. You build up momentum and get into the habit of writing. I find that when I don’t write for a day or two, it becomes harder to sit down and start typing again.
I also recommend writing first thing in the morning before you start your day (if possible), late at night after you get home from work or school, on the train or bus ride home from work/school/wherever else takes you there each day (if possible).
Any other time that works for you such as waiting in line at the grocery store or sitting outside while waiting on an appointment with someone else who is running late (if possible).
Think about telling a story from an unusual perspective (the villain instead of the hero for example).
So, you’ve got a great idea for a story. You know who it’s about and where it takes place. Now you just have to figure out how to tell that story. If you’re like me, then your first instinct is probably to write from the perspective of the main character, in this case, let’s say that character is a young boy named Todd.
Your second instinct might be to write in the third person with Todd as your protagonist (the “I” pronoun). But what if instead of following him around on his adventures as he grows up and overcomes obstacles both big and small, we follow his father instead?
Think about telling a story from an unusual perspective (the villain instead of the hero for example).
How would writing this way change things? What would happen differently? How would people react differently when faced with an antagonist they knew was evil yet still had human qualities? And will readers care enough about someone who appears bad by definition rather than seeing him/her as misguided or misunderstood?
Choose an object close at hand and describe it in great detail – think of objects that have the meaning as well as objects that may be mundane.
Reignite your passion for writing and discover renewed enthusiasm with our helpful tips. Delve into our guide: Creative Writing Tips to Rediscover Your Love for Writing. Uncover strategies to reconnect with the joy of writing and overcome creative blocks.
Here’s What You Do
Choose an object close at hand and describe it in great detail think of objects that have meaning as well as objects that may be mundane.
Make sure to use a variety of descriptive words and phrases, including similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, alliteration, personification, and hyperbole (a lot).
I like to think of this process as “creating a character” for the object I’m describing. The more specific details you include about your subject’s appearance/personality/behavior/interactions with others around it/etc., the more interesting your writing will be!
Conclusion
In the end, there’s no right way to write creatively. All that matters is that you find an approach that works for you and sticks with it. If you find yourself stuck in a rut or feeling discouraged about your progress, try these tips out for size! And remember: the more time spent writing, the better off we all are.
Further Reading
Benefits of Creative Writing
Explore the therapeutic and self-expressive benefits of creative writing in mental health and well-being. Discover how creative writing can be a powerful tool for personal growth and healing. Learn more at Flourish Australia.
Understanding Creative Writing
Get a comprehensive overview of creative writing, including its definition, various types, and examples. Explore the world of imaginative expression and storytelling through this detailed guide at Study.com.
Why Learn Creative Writing
Delve into the reasons why learning creative writing is valuable for both aspiring writers and individuals looking to enhance their communication skills and creative thinking. Find out more about the significance of creative writing education at Writers.com.
FAQs
What are the benefits of engaging in creative writing for mental health?
Engaging in creative writing can provide various mental health benefits, including stress reduction, improved emotional well-being, and enhanced self-expression. It offers a therapeutic outlet for processing emotions and thoughts in a creative and constructive manner.
What are the different types of creative writing?
Creative writing encompasses a range of genres, including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, short stories, novels, plays, and more. Each type allows writers to explore different forms of expression and storytelling techniques.
How can creative writing improve my communication skills?
Creative writing involves crafting compelling narratives, characters, and dialogue, which can enhance your ability to convey ideas effectively and engage readers or audiences. These skills can translate into improved verbal and written communication.
Is creative writing only for aspiring authors?
No, creative writing is beneficial for anyone seeking to enhance their creativity, self-expression, and communication skills. It’s not limited to aspiring authors but can be valuable for professionals in various fields and individuals looking to explore their creative side.
Can learning creative writing help with problem-solving?
Yes, creative writing encourages thinking outside the box, developing imaginative solutions, and exploring alternative perspectives. These skills can contribute to improved problem-solving abilities in various areas of life.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.