Anyone who has worked with a personal trainer, gone to a gym or watched any fitness experts on television knows that one of the rules of exercising is to change up your routine. They say (yes, I’m quoting “they” here) that if you do the same thing over and over, your body becomes used to the routine and doesn’t work as hard. So, those fitness pros recommend that you alter your routine to keep your body engaged in the workout and to ensure that your body is working hard.
I think the same is true of writing. Sometimes, all it takes is a minor shift in your routine to help you through a difficult time. Unlike exercise, it’s not so much about working yourself as much as you can; it’s more that a change, even a minor one, can stimulate your creativity by making you see things in a different way.
The change can be a minor one, such as shifting around the pictures in your office, or it can be major, such as actually changing your office around. Whatever the case, making a change can help if you’re suffering from writer’s block or if you just don’t feel creative.
So, what are some things you can do to stimulate your creativity?
Small Changes
Move your pictures around or redecorate your office. Doing so gives you something new to look at. But it might also cause you to look at the pictures in a way you haven’t before, and doing so might just make you look at a project in a different way, too. After all, changing the decorations in your office requires some creativity. Maybe that will inspire your writing.
Make a slight change in your routine. Do you always start with e-mails and cold calls? For a couple of days, start the day by working on your writing instead. Who knows how different your thoughts might be if you tried writing at a different time of day. It doesn’t have to be a permanent change. Even doing this for a day or two every few weeks might help.
Feeling uninspired? Maybe a change of view can help
Work on something else for a while. I can’t say how many times I’ve been stuck on one project just to have the answer hit me while I was working on something else. It’s like when you’re trying to remember the lyrics to a song—try too hard and you’ll never remember, but think about something else for a bit and the lyrics will come back to you. So, put your project aside and focus on something else.
Go for a walk or a jog. Sometimes, getting out in the fresh air is what you need to not only boost your creativity but to give you a bit more energy. If you usually go for a walk in the afternoon or evening, change it up by going earlier in the day.
Medium Changes
If you have a computer that can be easily moved, try writing from a different location. If you always write in your office but you have a balcony and the weather is nice, try writing outside. Or move to a different room. You could even stay in your office but work closer to the window.
Go through old files. It might sound tedious but you probably have information in those old files that you forgot about. Some of it might help you out today. Maybe you wrote notes on a story idea that was rejected a few years ago, but those notes could be relevant now. Perhaps you interviewed someone a while back and she could be a helpful source for a current project. There could be a lot of information in your old files; take the time once in a while to go through them. Not only could you be inspired, but you may get rid of clutter, too.
Work your brain differently. Do you always do crossword puzzles? Maybe next time, try a game of Sudoku instead. It will work your brain in a different way (so I’ve heard) and may just be what you need to stimulate your creativity. Do you always read non-fiction? Try a fiction book or a book in a genre you’re not used to. You never know what inspiration you’ll find in trying new things. Even things you do in your off time could affect how you approach your work.
Big Changes
Feeling really inspired to make changes? Move your office around. Maybe a different view from your desk will help you to look at your project differently.
Try a new hobby or take a course in something new. Again, working your brain differently and learning something new might just be the change you need to help get over a lull in your creativity. The bonus is that you get to learn something new, and maybe it’ll be something you wind up writing about!
Jenn Farrell
Speaking of creativity, Jenn Farrell is a wonderful, creative—and very supportive—award-winning writer. She has one book of short stories already out, called “Sugar Bush & Other Stories” and another one due later this spring called “The Devil You Know.” Jenn supports local, independent bookstores, so if you can find her books at an independent bookstore, you should pick them up. You can also order “Sugar Bush & Other Stories” through Anvil Press, here.
