20 Ways to Repair the Cracks in Your Writing Process by Pat Rullo
Sometimes, I don’t feel creative. I know this is happening when I start to do random things like checking the weather, looking for grade school classmates online, or deleting old computer files. When I do these kinds of time-wasting things, I usually go outside and walk up and down the riverbank. This always refreshes and brings me back to task. So, with that, I wanted to share some ways to restore your cracked creativity.
Take breaks and relax: Give yourself time to rest and recharge. Go for walks, meditate, practice yoga, or engage in other forms of relaxation to clear your mind and allow new ideas to emerge. Short bursts of tai-chi are my go-to form of mind-clearing.
Travel and explore new places: Visiting new locations, whether near or far, can provide fresh perspectives and inspire new storylines or settings. Recently, I visited one of my favorite natural history museums and came home with many inspiring ideas. Stopping in Little Italy for a pasta lunch didn’t hurt, either.
Keep a journal or notebook: Record your thoughts, observations, and ideas to capture moments of inspiration. Refer back to them when you’re seeking a creative boost. I can’t count the number of old and bent sticky notes stuck together in my top desk drawer, filled with potential one-liner messages. What happens when I die, and someone finds these? They may think I was nuts.
Embrace solitude: Find a quiet or secluded corner to immerse yourself in your thoughts and writing. Solitude can foster deep thinking and creative flow. On the flip side, if you already live a quiet life, blast some oldies music and bust out a few moves. No one will even know. Well, my cats do give me a worried glance or two.
Experiment with writing exercises: Try different writing prompts, word games, or stylistic challenges to push your creativity beyond your comfort zone. This is always fun and may take you elsewhere than expected.
Incorporate regular writing habits: Establish a writing routine or schedule to cultivate discipline and consistency. Writing regularly helps to keep the creative gears turning. This doesn’t work for me. I write when I feel the urge. Not big on schedules, I guess.
Seek new experiences: Try new activities, hobbies, or adventures outside your comfort zone. Experiencing new things can provide fresh perspectives and fuels creative thinking. I just discovered Kintsugi. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold, built on the idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. What a powerful metaphor for self-development.
Research and delve into topics of interest: Explore subjects that intrigue you to expand your knowledge. Deep dives into research can spark new ideas and storylines. I’m a patient safety junkie, so I constantly research potential hazards. Right now, I’m learning about the disregard for patient safety in common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, where 1 in 6 patients experience an extravasation event. An extravasation is the unintended injection of a radioactive drug into the patient’s tissue rather than completely into the vein as prescribed. Extravasations affect 4.5 million patients a year. Almost all are undetected, which may negatively impact treatment in many cases, significantly increasing patient harm and costs. Oops – sorry, I’m getting carried away!
Find natural inspiration: Spend time in natural settings, whether at a park, beach, or mountain hike. The beauty and tranquility of nature can serve as a muse for creative thinking. A river graces my backyard, and I’ve placed a hammock between some of the pine trees. Talk about inspiration!
Read widely and diversely: Expose yourself to different genres, styles, and perspectives. Explore books, articles, blogs, and other forms of literature to expand your knowledge and inspire new ideas. The Firebird Book Awards provide plenty of opportunity to delve into topics and points of view I never knew existed. The talent out there is so inspiring and actually a bit intimidating.
Engage in conversation and collaboration: Discuss your work with other authors, join writing groups or forums, and participate in workshops or writing conferences. Sharing ideas and receiving feedback can help fuel creativity. The Authors of Fire podcast helps me with this as I learn from many inventive writers. I view these conversations not as interviews but as time spent with like-minded friends.
Explore different art forms: Seek inspiration from other art forms such as music, painting, photography, or dance. Attend concerts, exhibitions, or performances to stimulate your imagination. A visit to a gallery with a slow wander through the jewelry, paintings, or mixed media always fuels my desire to become an artist – perhaps in my next go-round.
Create a supportive environment: Surround yourself with positive and encouraging individuals who support and nurture your creativity. Avoid negative influences that may hinder your imagination. This is a big one. Simply remove yourself from all negativity. Been there and done that!
Experiment with different writing techniques: Try out new writing methods, such as free writing, stream-of-consciousness, or storytelling through other points of view. Push yourself to explore different approaches to storytelling. As a nonfiction author and someone who is compelled to get to the point quickly, storytelling is an art I admire. I might have to take some time off to explore storytelling.
Explore your emotions and personal experiences: Tap into your feelings, memories, and personal history to add depth and authenticity to your writing. Reflecting on your own experiences can provide a rich source of creativity. This is a good one, as it is a cathartic way to work through old stuff. And we all have lots of that!
Engage in mind-mapping or brainstorming: Use visual tools like mind maps or brainstorming techniques to generate new ideas or connections. Visualizing your thoughts can help you see patterns and inventiveness. I have a board with sticky notes, color-coded for each potential new idea. I have so many ideas that a board like this helps me to remember what I thought about last week.
Take time for self-care: Prioritize self-care activities like exercise, proper nutrition, and sufficient rest. Maintaining your physical and mental well-being is crucial for sustaining creativity. Sometimes, I head off to bed at 8:00, giving me a full ten hours of sleep. Ditch the phone, pull the shades, and get in there and renew.
Practice mindfulness and be present in the moment: Cultivate mindfulness to fully immerse yourself in your surroundings and experiences. Paying attention to details can trigger creative ideas. Mindfulness makes me think of gratitude. Sometimes, when I feel overwhelmed, I look out the window at the trees, listen to a bird chirp, watch one of my cats snooze, and appreciate the moment. It really does help.
Embrace failure and setbacks: Understand that setbacks and rejections are part of the creative process. Learn from them, adapt, and keep moving forward. Well, this sounds easy, doesn’t it? But there is always a little nugget of wisdom in every negative experience. We have to sometimes hunt for it. Knowing there’s a gift in the mess is something to look forward to.
Love what you do: Passion for your craft is crucial for creativity. Nurture your love for writing and embrace the joy it brings. We often look for the extrinsic rewards our efforts may bring. But truly, if writing moves you and calls you, then love it for all the intrinsic ways it makes you YOU!
And don’t worry about the cracks.
PR
