Ways to fuel creativity when you have no idea how to get started.
How on earth do I get started writing a book? I can hardly make it through writing a letter. Is there something special that I have to do to get the words in my head out on paper or on screen?
Here are six ways to fuel your creativity.
Create a morning routine. Everyone who is an early morning person generally has a routine that they like to use. For myself, it is coffee first, then work out, then writing time. But I admit that is not perhaps the best method for anyone else. Maybe you don’t drink coffee, or maybe you don’t exercise. That’s totally fine. Just remember that writing is something that SHOULD be a part of your morning routine, and be sure to include it. And don’t forget the power of free-writing. Give fuel to your writing day by sitting down and tapping the keys. See what happens!
Exercise. For me, getting on the treadmill and going to the gym are both a part of my life. Regular exercise helps me to mentally escape from the world and get into the realm of my characters. I can write entire scenes while listening to quiet music and moving. The added energy it gives me helps to keep me in the writing chair longer, also. Exercise is the fuel that keeps a body in motion.
Don’t read. I know it sounds counter-productive, but going on a reading diet really helps me to solidify story ideas. When I am actively involved in books (I read more than one at a time) I just do not feel like my ideas are there in full force the way they are when I am not engaged with someone else’s writing. I take a break from reading other people’s work in order to hear the voices in my head clearly and know they are not just a rehash of the book I am reading. Nothing fuels my writing life like hearing my characters telling me what to write!
Get really quiet. I find a lot of inspiration in solitude. I can sit on a park bench and listen to the wind, the birds, and other nature sound, and create vividly. Finding solitude and harnessing its power has been the backdrop for meditation lovers everywhere. No, it is not necessary. No, you can meditate anywhere. But it seems to help elevate the creative spirit inside when you can find a few moments to just breathe in and out and enjoy being alive and able to create. Writing fuel is stoked when we can relax and enjoy our art.
Find inspiration in others. Every week I meet with other authors in a face-to-face setting. We discuss our writing trials and successes, our marketing efforts and what has worked or bombed, and we enjoy sharing ideas, supporting each other, and being with someone who understands this crazy writing life. I highly recommend meeting with other authors in a real world setting, not just online. My group, Linda, Kimberley, Kristi, Robin, and Angela, are some of the best writers I know, and just being allowed to be involved with them fuels my writing in a big way.
Never say no. When you are cranking out your ideas, there is nothing that is taboo. You can write about anything you want to, even if it sounds a little crazy. To squelch your creative spirit in the beginning by saying no to an idea is just soul-crushing. Don’t do it. Nothing takes fuel OUT of my writing like saying no to an idea that comes up.
I know there are many more ways to get your writing fueled, but I hope these six ways will at least get you started!