We all have those moments when your well of creativity feels as if it has run dry.
The. Words. Just. Won’t. Flow!
Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, a few of these quick tricks should help relieve your writer’s block and get your project back on track again.
1. Start with Freewriting: Begin with a stream-of-consciousness exercise. Write without worrying about grammar or structure. Let your thoughts flow freely to clear mental obstacles.
2. Change Your Environment: Move to a different space, whether it’s a coffee shop, park, or a cozy corner at home. A change of scenery can stimulate fresh ideas.
3. Change Your Tune: Music can set or change your mood. Throw on a playlist that’ll give you the good writing vibes you need them most.
4. Embrace Writing Prompts: Writing prompts can be powerful tools to kickstart your creativity. They provide a starting point and allow your imagination to take over.
5. Set a Routine: Establish a writing routine to condition your mind for creativity. Consistency helps train your brain to be more creative on command.
6. Read Widely: Expose yourself to diverse genres and styles. Reading outside your comfort zone can spark new ideas and perspectives.
7. Take a Shower: In a 2019 study, 98 professional writers and 87 physicists recorded their most creative idea each day, as well as what they were doing and thinking when it struck them…While most of the ideas occurred at work, 20 percent of their most meaningful ideas came while doing something else — washing dishes or taking a shower…But those spontaneous thoughts in the shower had another advantage: They were more likely to be “aha” experiences — modern Archimedes-in-the-bathtub Eureka moments — that overcame a creative impasse.
8. Collaborate & Brainstorm: Call a friend. Call a writer. Call your hybrid pub team. Brainstorming sessions and collaborative efforts can inspire fresh concepts and approaches.
9. Embrace Failure: Accept that not every sentence you write will be a masterpiece. Embracing failure as part of the creative process removes the fear of imperfection. Challenge yourself to a writing session during which you don’t edit. You just write. Leave the perfection or tomorrow.
10. Keep a Journal: Maintain a journal to jot down random thoughts, ideas, and observations. It’s a treasure trove of inspiration waiting to be tapped. I have a notes app on my Samsung phone. I use it daily.
Creativity is a muscle that needs regular exercise. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.
– Jenn
