Whether you write poetry, comics, short stories, novels, or something in between, I hope this list can help you inspire some new pieces!
1. Walk outside without music
Woman walkinghttp://watchfit.com/general-health/mental-health/benefits-of-walking-2/
I know, walking around campus might feel miserable to do without your headphones in. Disconnect yourself from distractions and focus on the present moment—the air, the sun, the people around you. You never know who you may see or what you may hear, so keep your eyes and ears peeled for something that could spark an idea!
2. Listen to your favorite songs
Artistic headphoneshttp://www.lovethispic.com/image/20078/hearts-and-headphones
Kind of the opposite of number 1, I know. Music can be very inspiring for artists of any kind and sometimes we like to work in the comfort of our own thoughts and passions!
3. Listen to new music
Large headphoneshttps://thehub.musiciansfriend.com/tech-tips/can-i-record-mix-music-just-using-headphones
Another opposite, I know. I might sound crazy. Sometimes we get too stuck in our comfort zones. Listening to a new musician or a new genre could spark some thought processes that you have never experienced before!
4. Meditation or Prayer
Woman meditating at sunsethttps://www.shutterstock.com/video/clip-1059991-silhouette-woman-meditating-during-sunset
Sometimes just some quiet time for yourself and your thoughts with absolutely no outside distractions is the best. Just don't fall asleep!
5. Try a new restaurant
Fun restaurant and barhttps://www.homejournal.hk/en/living/top-5-artsy-restaurants/
As someone who is afraid of trying new foods, this sounds a little scary. But a new environment with new food and maybe even new friends is a recipe for a new masterpiece.
6. Spend time with new people
New friends taking a selfiehttps://www.entitymag.com/socializing-apps-for-making-friends/
Everyone is different. The more people we meet, the more exposure we have to different personalities. This could inspire new characters and start new friendships!
7. Color
Crayola Colored Pencilshttp://time.com/3889581/crayola-colored-pencils-eyeliner/
It might sound childish, but those adult coloring books are so relaxing! Grab yourself one and color something out of the norm. Make an elephant purple and a jellyfish green. The possibilities with color are endless—so are the possibilities with words!
8. Exercise
Woman runningExercise can reduce a ton of stress – stress that blocks the creative connectors in our brains! Work out, shower, and cuddle up in your favorite place to reduce anxiety and improve creativity!
9. Read your own writings
Handwritten storieshttps://www.gretchenlovesanchorage.com/2013/08/17/stories-around-town-4/
I know we hate to read things we wrote. It's like hearing your own voice on a video. Do I really sound like that?! Read your older pieces to see how you have grown as a person and a writer. Maybe even return to an unfinished piece. Use it to reflect and to move your writing forward.
10. READ READ READ!
Books on a shelfhttp://www.mschildcare.org/seven-books-to-read-in-honor-of-black-history-month/
This is probably one of the most important things on this list. As writers, we have to be readers. That way, we can mimic writing we like or challenge writing that we do not. Just like modernist writers, we want to understand the writing culture we come from to challenge it and push it forward!
To Those With A Negative View Of Odyssey, Here's Why It's Worth My Time
I'm not a clickbait farm, I'm a young, aspiring writer.
Something that I will never understand is why people have to be so negative when they're online. As a writer on Odyssey, it's hard to see some of the comments that people leave on articles or on Odyssey's Facebook page. From people tearing down writers who are vulnerable enough to openly share their opinions to people downright attacking Odyssey's brand, I'm here to say that I am a writer for the Odyssey and I am proud of it.
When I first joined Odyssey, I had no idea what was in store for me. I didn't know much about the company besides the fact that I see their articles circulate on my Facebook feed. But I can say that my experience writing on Odyssey has only been positive. I have grown as a writer and have learned how to communicate, work and collaborate in a professional manner. It has taught me discipline and has encouraged me to support and value others' viewpoints.
One of the most rewarding things about Odyssey is my position. I serve as the current editor-in-chief for my community (James Madison University) and get to help each and every one of my creators establish identities and learn all the things that I did as a content creator. I learned the importance of packaging articles and get to work one-on-one with professionals who help me whenever I need or want to.
I've found writing on Odyssey a very rewarding experience, so it puzzles me why people have to be so cruel and quick to bash my fellow Odyssey creators. One criticism I see a lot online is that Odyssey doesn't pay its users, but this isn't entirely true. We don't receive a payment for every article we post online, but if an article goes viral, the author is eligible for that article's ad revenue. After all, rewards should be earned, shouldn't they? Like most student writers, I don't write for money. I write because it is something that I love to do and I want to share my passion with the rest of the world.
(But for the record, I have gotten paid for some of my work, which helps motivate me to keep making my work better.)
Sharing your values and opinions openly isn't always the easiest thing to do. It's people like you who make us scared to do what we love. But you know what? It's also people like you who inspire us to keep doing it. Our goal is to spark conversation. There will never be a day where everyone on this planet agrees with one another and that is OK.
We are here to share our thoughts despite that.
We write so that others out there to know that they're not alone.
We write so that even if people don't agree with us, they can still see our work and form an opinion.
We write so that we can decompress.
We write so that we can prepare for a professional career and learn the skills that it takes to grow as a writer.
We are all human and we all have our own opinions. As a writer, I have learned to take things I don't agree with and write a professional response to it. Now, I don't know if that's just me, but it sounds much more intellectual than leaving a comment on Facebook stereotyping those of us who choose to write and shaming a company for sharing our work.
Odyssey is a great way to sharpen your writing skills and grow. My community has deadlines, meetings, rules, and expectations. We don't just scribble words into a text box and click post. I edit articles and the members of my community have to make revisions. It's not easy but it is so rewarding. It's an opportunity for our writing to be seen and for many of us, it's the start of making a name for ourselves. To be an Odyssey creator, you have to be open-minded and accepting of criticism. You have to be disciplined and committed to putting yourself out there, which is why it's so amazing to me that people try to put us down for what we do.
But hey, at the end of it all, one of our biggest goals is to gain as many people talking as possible. Whether you love our articles or hate them, your snarky comments make it clear that you've at least viewed our article, so thank you for adding to the conversation.
If you're still feeling so negative toward Odyssey and the people who create the content you see, I hope you're able to grow and find something that you are passionate about, just as I am about writing. I challenge you to expand your mind and become a more accepting individual and understand that people will never agree — instead of bashing people who choose to be vulnerable, congratulate them for putting themselves out there. Odyssey has taught me to support my community and everyone who writes chooses to write, whether I agree with their words or not. I hope you can learn to do the same.