Variety is the Spice of Life…and Writing

Sometimes writing is magic.

I’m a hardcore plotter, which means I have the whole story mapped out before I start. Confession time…I’ve also been known to read the end of a book before I’ve read the whole thing, and I also often Google what happens to characters on a TV show before I’ve gotten very far. I want to know if they live or die, and then I’ll watch how it happens.

Back to the magic, though. Every once in awhile I’ll be writing along, right in line with my outline, then I’ll have an out-of-body experience where one of the characters says or does something that I didn’t know was going to happen. Of course it stops me in my tracks. I wasn’t planning on it, but it’s usually great and will add depth to my character or a delightful twist to the story. Like I said, magic.

And sometimes, writing is a drudging chore. If you didn’t know that, it’s time you did. If you ever have felt that way and thought there was something wrong with you, then I wanted to say it so you don’t feel alone.

So how do you get past the drudging chore and back to the magic? Add variety to your creative endeavors. My suggestion is to spark your creativity with something other than writing. Here are a few ideas:

Create a Pinterest Board of Characters

If you’re stuck, stop trying to think of words, and start searching out pictures. Pretend like you are casting people to play characters in the movie that will be made out of your story, and create the list of people you will demand that be casted or you are taking your story and walking away.

Create Your Book Cover

Seeing the cover art for your book is one of the greatest thrills of an author’s life. But you don’t have to wait for a publisher and their graphic designer for that. You can use an app like Canva to create your own. Create a few options too. Sometimes seeing potential art for your book might remind you of the direction you wanted to go, or send your story in a different direction that you had planned.

Try Out Your Character’s Hobby

Is your main character an aspiring cook? Try a new recipe the way they would. Do they like to collect antique ceramic elephants? Hit the nearest flea market and browse like you are buying them a gift.

Basically, stop writing and try something else for awhile. You are a writer, and you’ll be delighted to find that other creative endeavors may just be the spice you were missing for your amazing story.

What other creative things do you do to help you with your writing?