Five Ways Writers Can Spark Creativity
This guest blog comes from Kristin Savage. Kristin is a freelance writer who has a degree in Creative Writing, experience in the publishing industry, and expertise in marketing strategies for authors. She runs her own FlyWriting blog. You can find her on Facebook.
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One of the biggest challenges a writer can face is a lack of creativity. The one-on-one staring contest with the blank screen is every writer’s worst nightmare. But what can you do when that happens? How can you light that spark of creativity once again?
As we are all unique, different things can be our source of inspiration. However, there are some universally acknowledge ways for boosting creativity.
When you need a special ingredient to ignite your imagination and push the limits of your creativity, turn to the following tips for inspiration.
Break your walls and unleash the flood of untamed thoughts. Take a piece of paper and start writing. Don’t think about the “who,” “what,” and “where.” Your only goal is to keep your hand moving.
Express any idea or thought that pops into your mind. Without editing or beautifying it.
You can freewrite your stream of consciousness. Or, you can put yourself in a character’s shoes and freewrite their thoughts.
Dr. Vivian Wagner who specializes in creative nonfiction, journalism, and American literature explained that “Creativity happens in the open, liminal space where we don’t think we’re working. And freewriting is one of the best ways into that magical space.”
2. Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone
Never-changing daily routines can put our mind in a box.
When you aren’t facing new situations, meeting new people, or hearing fresh ideas, you are limiting yourself to current awareness and knowledge. Change that. Try something new.
You don’t have to engage in extreme activities like skydiving out of a helicopter. Simply open up your mind to something new.
Experts from Harvard Health Publishing advise that you “Look for activities that incorporate brain stimulation, physical activity, and social engagement, such as learning to play a sport or game, learning a new dance step, taking a class on planting flowers or vegetables, or learning tai chi, which has been shown to boost thinking skills.”
So, you can join a dance class, volunteer at a local charity, or give morning jogs (yet another) try. Just make sure that you shake things up.
3. Change up Your Reading Materials
Even if you read books religiously, how different is your reading material? Most of us have our favorite genre, writer, magazine, or blog. However, if you want to open your horizons you should experiment with reading materials.
Instead of the “usual” literary classic, take a self-help book. After you finish your Times post, go to Subjecto and read a few sample flashcards and essays. Look into all kinds of writing from academic writing to pulp fiction.
The variety of language styles, forms, and tone may be just what you need. To maintain creativity you need to diversify the content you intake.
4. Activate Your Visual Sense with a Vision Board
When we visually absorb concepts and ideas, we activate a different part of the brain as opposed to when we use language or words. To ensure that your brain is in full work mode, resort to a vision board.
If your mind instantly jumps to making a visual board of your goals, stop right there. Visuals boards can be so much more.
Let’s say that you are writing a book. Make a visual board by adding images of book settings as you imagine them to be. You can also add pictures of villains and protagonists as you see them.
Use a vision board to display any type of visuals that inspire you. You can put up pictures of nature, beautiful art, or inspirational images for a writing project you are working on.
Music can help you relax and stimulate your creativity at the same time. Some studies have provided evidence that listening to music stimulates a collection of connected brain regions that are linked to creative insights.
Use music’s powers to their full potential by playing music that puts you in the right mood for your writing challenge.
For example, if you are writing a crime novel, you can play suspenseful tracks. An author who writes motivational books can play mood-boosting songs before writing.
Find music that aligns with your genre and let the tunes do the rest.
Wrapping Up
Before you get comfortable in the "I have lost my spark" way of thinking, push yourself to evoke creativity. Break the doors of your world of habits and welcome some new creative-boosting tactics. We all need a little extra creative push from time to time. You just need to have the right methods to put yourself back on track.
