Photo Credit: Erin VonRuden
Guest Blogger Mary Kole writes about the creative journey:
As much as I wish this wasn’t the case, the creative life is full of ebbs and flows, highs and lows, and any other image you want to ascribe to the push and pull of the artistic temperament. Whether you admit or not, you are a writer, a creative, and an artist, whatever that means to you.
If you find yourself grappling with writer’s block or struggling to reignite your passion for writing, fear not. This is perfectly normal, and every writer faces these challenges at some point in their creative journey. And it is a journey. Some writers are only interested in publication, and I can absolutely see where they’re coming from. But they will be in for a long and disappointing ride if they can’t derive pleasure, satisfaction, and fulfillment from the act of writing and the artistic state of being that writers sometimes occupy.
But what if “the act of writing” and the “artistic state of being that writers sometimes occupy” isn’t happening for you right now? What if this is one of those ebbs? Those lows? In this article, I’ll suggest some ways to keep your creative spirit alive and thriving, even during dry spells. By reading, embracing some creativity development frameworks, freeing up a sense of play and inspiration, observing life through a writer’s lens, writing anything, and switching projects when needed, you can weather the ups and downs of the writing life with resilience and determination.
Here are some suggestions, offered in no particular order:
Read Like a Writer: When you aren’t writing, you could be reading. There’s nothing quite like reading like a writer, and seeing what your potential future peers are doing when they’re at the top of their game. Read inside your genre, category, and target audience, and also outside of it. Take note of techniques you find interesting, writing styles that appeal to you, and also those things you wouldn’t necessarily do. Sometimes negative inspiration—“I’d never do it like this!”—can be powerful, too. You can also read nonfiction about writing-related topics like creativity, habit formation, sociology, and psychology. These nonfiction fields have all taken off in the last few decades, with a lot of complicated concepts broken down to appeal to lay readers. Writers tend to collect information and seek to understand the human experience. Reading is a powerful way of doing so, even when you’re not currently creating.
Revisit The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron: The Artist’s Way is a renowned book that serves as a guide to unlocking creativity and overcoming artistic blocks. Through practices such as morning pages and artist dates, Cameron encourages writers to nurture their inner artist and establish a consistent creative routine. By incorporating these exercises into your daily life, you can cultivate a supportive environment for your creativity to flourish. The book acts like a guide and offers structure. If you haven’t read it before, it’s worth your while. If you haven’t read it in a while, you might find that you love slipping back into this warm and encouraging resource.
Embrace Play and Inspiration: If you get into The Artist’s Way, you will be reminded that the state of being a writer isn’t just one you access while writing. You can take time to nurture yourself and seek inspiration off the page. Take yourself out on solo excursions to explore new environments, art galleries, museums, or nature spots—this is the “artist date” suggestion, described above. Engaging in activities that inspire and rejuvenate your spirit can spark fresh ideas and perspectives. If you invest in yourself, and make valuable time for self-reflection, you might find that this will allow you to connect with your inner muse. Seeking inspiration also divorces creativity from its product—you might not actively create anything when you take time to seek inspiration, but you also never know how your experiences will pay off. Creativity is like a well that needs constant replenishment. Seek out ideas and experiences that resonate with you—whether it’s listening to music, watching films, or engaging in hobbies and meeting new people. Surround yourself with beauty and ideas that stimulate your imagination.
Observe Life as Writers Do: Writers are keen observers of the world around them. Pay attention to details, emotions, conversations, and experiences that unfold in your daily life. You could notice a snippet of dialogue, or be captivated by an interesting person at the grocery store. No wonder we call these individuals “characters,” they might be fodder for a piece of writing. By honing your observational skills, you can draw inspiration from seemingly mundane moments and infuse authenticity into your creative self-expression. After all, readers want to relate, and they want to recognize ideas and details from their own lives in the stories they consume. You need to live with your eyes and ears open to stock up on these potentially resonant nuggets.
Write Anything: Even if you’re not writing the book of your heart at the moment, you can still keep up with writing anything to keep your engine block warm. Freewriting, poetry, journal entries, a “letter to the editor” that you don’t plan to send, a long caption for an Instagram post—all of these are valid outlets of written self-expression. Keep your creativity churning by writing, no matter what. It’s fine to skip days or weeks or even months, but if you’re doing the things on this list, you will feel like you’re making progress, even if you take your eyes off of your magnum opus for a bit.
Switch Projects or Take a Break: Dovetailing with the above, if you’re feeling stuck on a particular project, don’t be afraid to set it aside temporarily or switch gears and work on something else. Sometimes shifting focus can reignite your passion for writing and bring fresh energy to your creative process. Remember that taking breaks or focusing on something else for a while is essential for recharging your creativity and preventing burnout, so don’t feel bad if you’re called to work on a different idea. (There’s obviously a balance to be struck between persevering with a project when the going gets tough and avoiding “shiny object syndrome,” which see you following a bunch of distractions.) The more you write and create, the better you’ll know yourself and can understand your behaviors and motives.
As an aspiring writer navigating the highs and lows of the creative journey, you will want to prioritize self-care and balance, especially when things get tough. By implementing strategies like the above, you can nurture your creative spirit, no matter what else is going on in your life and work. Remember that creativity thrives when you’re able to offer yourself grace, resilience, and patience. If you can claim your identity as an artist, that’s one big step toward figuring out how to nurture yourself and take your dreams and passions seriously.
Mary Kole
As a former literary agent, I know all about the ins and outs of the publishing industry. But my favorite part has always been working directly with writers, so I founded Mary Kole Editorial in 2013 to provide consulting and developmental editing services to clients of all categories and genre
Then I founded Good Story Company in 2019 with the aim of creating valuable content—like the Good Story Podcast, YouTube channel, and Good Story Learning classes and resources. My Story Mastermind small group workshop intensives helps writers level up their craft, and I offer done-for-you writing and ghostwriting at Manuscript Studio and marketing services with Good Story Marketing. I also develop unique and commercial intellectual property for middle grade, young adult, and adult readers with Upswell Media and Bittersweet Books (website forthcoming).
I hold an MFA in Creative Writing and have worked at Chronicle Books, the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, and Movable Type Management. My blog, Kidlit.com has been going since 2009, and my book, Writing Irresistible Kidlit, a writing reference guide for middle grade and young adult writers, is available from Writer’s Digest Books/Penguin Random House.
