5 Tips for Reclaiming Your Creative Writing Skill

I have not stopped writing since childhood, and I am sure many of you are like me. We used to sit in our seats in the classroom or sit on the carpet at home and start writing on our underlined notebooks. Creative writing is our way of escaping from reality or living our dreams the way we want.

Note: This article is by Savannah Cordova, who gives us 5 tips to regain your creative writing skills.

But as we approached adulthood, we began to feel a bit pessimistic. We believed what we were doing needed to be sufficiently original, admirable, and fascinating to continue. Years passed during which we may not have written anything on paper or possibly electronically.

Eventually, however, this desire, that exciting imagination, and enthusiasm for writing returned. Still, it had been a long time since we had written creatively, so much so that we needed to remember how to start.

Fortunately, even if you have stopped creative writing for several years, there are several tips to help you write again. I have had the same experience for years, and less than a year later, I could write many short stories; I even started writing a novel.

Five tips from my experience to get motivated and start writing again

1. Participate in short story contests

That is undoubtedly my favorite advice for getting back into creative writing. It is hard to admit, but many of us are very skilled at starting a project, and we are very successful when committing to work once it's finished. It's challenging to persevere to finish a story when it's been a long time since you've used your skills, and you may need help translating your ideas into appropriate words. You may think about the feasibility of your actions and stop as soon as you ask yourself this question.

Short story competitions motivate and impose a strict deadline. The best is the reward you will get to finish the story. Participating in these competitions often requires writing a story of 2,000 to 5,000 words, and it takes you only two days of work and may take a week at the latest. Even a person who has not written anything in years can achieve this.

Some short story competitions require a subscription fee, and it may seem silly to spend money on something that is the incentive itself, but the subscription fee can be a great incentive. The reason is that, like any other investment, you will feel obligated to keep writing until the story is finished because you paid for it and want to save your money.

If you cannot pay the subscription fee and still need an incentive as a bonus, try our no-fee short story contests.

2. Apply the 500-word plan per day

Many professional writers advise writing 500 words a day, and they recommend it because, in their words, it allows a lot of time to make significant progress in the project, and at the same time, daily work is not stressful.

I agree that accomplishing 500 words a day is an ideal daily goal. I have never supported writing as much as possible in as little time as possible. Although it is a very effective method for some people, there are better ways to regain your writing ability after a long break.

Applying the 500-word plan daily to regain your writing skills while you can accomplish good content is very appropriate. Instead of the burden of writing 1000 or more words per day, I find it almost impossible to write something good with so many words. The reason is that you will not have time to think carefully about your writing and will undoubtedly not have time to review.

A 500-word-a-day plan allows you to prioritize quality over quantity and regain confidence in your writing skills before embarking on a larger project.

3. Ask your friends for ideas or directions on the topic you are writing

In addition to the problems of poor motivation, many writers who stop for a long time from writing may need help knowing what to write about. You may feel frustrated and strange when you want to write about something but do not know how to start.

Fortunately, you can get help from other sources and people, and talking to your friends - especially writers - can be an excellent way to get new ideas, even if you only ask someone what they wanted to read about recently.

Remember that you can benefit from even immature ideas because you can turn them into an integrated thought. You can use writing directions as a motivator when you have an idea of some kind or a general perception in your mind but you need a specific topic or story.

4. Stay away from distractions

Feeling motivated and inspired to do creative work is magnificent but not enough. It is not helpful to feel this way if you are constantly distracted, and it is okay to take a break. You need to exercise after waking up to stay attentive and focused. Still, if you find that your focus is distracted by the surrounding environment, such as the desire to check your Twitter account every five minutes, it means it is time to rethink your writing habits.

First of all, get to know the environment that is best for you. Everyone has preferences and requirements that help them stay focused at work. Some people need complete isolation and silence, while others prefer low noise. Know the most appropriate situation for you and work in an environment where this situation is available as much as possible.

Then, and this is your responsibility, establish strict guidelines for using social media and anything else that might tempt you to use the Internet. You know whether you are a fan of Twitter or Instagram, and whatever app is distracting you, close it on your phone, laptop, or any other device.

If downloading apps for blocking websites or apps requires an effort or cost you cannot afford, smoothly log out of the app because this simple procedure is also effective in helping you avoid distractions.

5. Write in your own style

Writers usually use the works of other authors as inspiration, especially when they are at the beginning of the project or have been writing for a short time, but this can be counterproductive for two types.

The first type is that you are trying to imitate others in terms of their writing style, and the result will look fake or not reflect your style. The second type is that when you write in the style of the most famous writers, you are likely to feel frustrated when you compare your talent to theirs.

To truly succeed as a creative writer, you seriously need to write your own story, and you can draw specific elements from other things you've read, but your narrative doesn't have to be just a replica of other content you liked.

I know this from personal experience. After reading Gone Girl in 2013, I was so fascinated by Gillian Flynn's writing style that I wanted to write just like her and in her style.

Unfortunately, within two pages of my mysterious and exciting novel, I realized that this was never my style. I also discovered that I didn't even want to write an enjoyable and vague story; I only wanted to write something astonishing.

In conclusion

The beauty of writing does not come from writing about a particular subject or style. Some books are best sellers and are about different topics and writing styles.

The secret behind splendid writing is the passion that accompanies discipline and determination. Fortunately, with these tips, you can return to the practice of creative writing. I am sure you will continue this time until you achieve your goals.