I’ve been realizing lately that my daily routine has been hurting my performance as a writer. Wake up early, go to work, get home, and get ready for the next day while feeling exhausted. It takes effort to find the time and energy to write, even right now I am having trouble. So for anyone else who loves writing but feels tired and uninspired, here are eight ways to help you spice up your writing life.
1. Dream journaling.
As a writer you will here this over and over again, not just that you should be keeping a journal of your daily life, but also that you should be keeping a dream journal. Crazy dreams can lead to sometimes awesome story plots. You never know.
2. Writing prompts.
You can go as far as buying books filled with them, or just google them… Pinterest is a great place to look, and they can help you get started with a new writing project that you would not have otherwise come up with.
3. Inspiration in a jar.
Write down writing prompts, juicy sentences, a word, a cool character name even, and put it in a jar. Whenever you want inspiration for a writing project, just pull one out and go with it!
4. Reuse and rewrite!
Go back through old writing projects, stories you started but never finished, and try to make something out it. Sometimes the best material can be found in something you have already written.
5. Dialogue your life.
If you cannot think of what to write or where you should start - start with your own life! Take a conversation you remember having, whether it be recent or not, and write as though it’s the dialogue in a story. Really make an effort to describe the scene and capture the emotions of yourself and the other person.
If you are totally swamped with work or school and can only find the strength to lay on your bed and watch Netflix at the end of everyday (I don’t blame you) then this one might be for you. Make a promise to yourself to write at least one page everyday. It might sound strange, but odds are, by the time you reach the bottom of the page you will want to keep writing.
7. Write…. In the morning.
Everyone has a different time during the day that can be used for writing, but if you do not already do this, try writing when you wake up. Your mind is clear, and you may be tired, but not as exhausted and drained as you would be at the end of the day.
8. READ!
When all else fails, make yourself read. Read a new book, read something classic, or reread the books that inspired you to write in the first place! When you read the right kind of material it can leave you itching to write your own material. So at least read when you feel uninspired... it just might inspire you.
