There are times when even the most creative among us have a dry spell. The characters may not know what to do next, or the setting feels cardboard. Sometimes after writing oneself into a corner, an essay writer needs to take some creative time to think of a solution. In these instances, trying a few writing exercises may unlock the words and put an end to the writer’s block. An answer to a complicated plot twist may reveal itself from the subconscious while doing a creative writing exercise.
Pick a Color to Use as a Writing Theme
Color evokes emotion, sometimes in unexpected ways. This exercise may be used as a way to explore how color influences us. Choose a color such as red, green, blue, or yellow, and create an entire scene around it. Begin with the main character. Dress that character in the color in as many creative ways as possible. Add the color to the setting. Incorporate the color into the character names, the moods, and the action. Write a scene or short story revolving around color.
Write About Music
Music is another medium that evokes emotion as well as expresses deep feelings. Many writers listen to music while writing, and some even create soundtracks for the novels they’re working on. Pick a song, preferably one that is new or unfamiliar. Create a character to be the composer. Write a short story about how and why the song was composed. What is the background and inspiration for the song? Was it a struggle to write or did it come easily? How did the composer feel while writing? What obstacles did he or she overcome? Where was it written?
Write a Scene about a Photograph
This is a time-honored practice for writers to jump-start their muse. It’s also a way to practice targeted writing skills such as dialogue or setting. Choose a photograph that you’ve not seen before. Each Monday morning, a writing picture prompt is published on the blog. Looking through these photos may inspire creative writing.
Write about a Location
Take out a world map or atlas and close your eyes. Put your finger on a spot on the map and use that location as a writing prompt. Alternatively, click a spot on a star chart and use that as the setting. Describe the place using all five senses. What does the air feel like, taste like, smell like, sound like, look like? How about the flora and fauna? What are you doing there? Is there a history to the place, such as battles, disasters, or beginnings? Continue until you feel you’ve written a piece that puts the reader in the setting.
Use the First Line as a Creative Writing Prompt
A first line is just that; it’s a single line. Starting with only a first line, writers will develop completely different stories. That’s the premise behind the literary magazine. Four times a year, the editors from reddit best essay writing service provide the first line of a story. With no limitation on setting or genre, the resulting short stories are wildly divergent. Find more first lines by opening up random books in a bookstore, reading the first words of books on Amazon, or writing down snippets of overheard conversations throughout the day.
Remember that these are only exercises designed to start the creative process. They can also be used to hone specific skills, such as weaving a setting into an action scene, creating a mood, or developing a scene arc. Sometimes writing prompts may end up as part of a larger story or they might help solve plot problems in a novel. There’s no need to feel that once a writing exercise is done it can’t be used again. Using the same exercises several times can reveal many different ways of looking at a topic.
