Hit the Breaks in the Name of Creativity

Well, this is it folks.

We've made it through the summer challenges.

Now, while we should all give each other a pat on the back for the effort and perseverance, there's no denying the reality.

Most of us are burned-out.

Not physically, of course. Mentally. Creatively.

And with reason! We are no strangers to the writer's burden—see prompt, get struck with a brilliant idea, map it down, oh wait... I actually hate it, scrap it, start from scratch. Or—see prompt, brainstorm random bits and pieces of ideas, hoping they'll magically glue themselves together but... nope. Or perhaps the best possible outcome—pour hours and hours of work into a mere two-thousand words, end up with something you like... wait, this isn't getting any reads, is it not as good as I thought? Do I really like it?

Deadline strikes. Whether you've submitted something or not, you deflate.

Man, challenges sure aren't all sunshine and rainbows, are they?

So eight of them in a row? Forget it, we're out of service.

Perhaps we've lost track of what makes us writers

As writers, we are simultaneously our own worst critique and worst rival. It's easy to get lost in the numbers, to let doubt crawl its way into our brain, to forsake passion for success (or, as the kids call it these days, for clout). It's incredibly hard to persevere, and too easy to give up when we're not immediately handed a medal, or given a moment in the spotlight.

Now that the summer challenges are over, everyone's fire has gone out—I've seen it in the community, and I've experienced it myself.

I started out with what I thought was a fair goal: write one entry per challenge. Should be doable, right? Well, I ended up abandoning two of my entries, one mid-way into writing it, the other because I was simply out of ideas. Brain was fried. Utterly squeezed out without a single drop of inspiration left. Mhm.

And, don't get me wrong, the ones that I did submit sure were bumpy rides in their own ways. Some pieces I loved but began second-guessing hours after submission, biting my nails and re-reading it over and over again, as if hoping to convince myself it was good stuff. Other pieces I hated, found myself a click away from erasing it all in a moment of frustration, but still submitted.

See, being a writer is hard. Vocal included. But there's light at the end of the tunnel. That little voice inside our heads telling us we're no good, telling us we're getting nowhere, it's so incredibly, vivaciously wrong.

So pick up your pen, fill up your mug and ready your keyboard, because it's time to rekindle our sense of creativity.

Follow these refreshing prompts to fall in love with creativity all over again, hell, maybe even renew your wedding vows. Vocal as a platform is perfect to experiment with writing, so take a break from all the rules and the ghostly pressure—write for yourself.

Either as a two-week personal boot camp, or in times of need, these easy prompts will be here for you.

1. Your favorite hot beverage

Write about a memory of it, or the one you had this morning. Write about how it makes you feel, what it makes you think of, who it makes you think of. Immerse yourself in the moment. Breathe, slowly. Write it out.

2. Something you hate to no end

Now, that might seem counter-intuitive, but believe me, it's liberating. Write about something that infuriates you. It could be known, or it could be a secret you've kept for many years. It could be the smallest, silliest thing you've ever written about, like a spouse's annoying habit, or it could be deeper, something you've been dying to get off your chest. Then, once it's down, accept it and move on from that negativity.

3. Go outside and write about the first person you see

It could be a child, an elderly person, a homeless man, a business woman. Put yourself in their shoes—see the world through their eyes. Write as briefly or as long as you see fit.

4. Do the same thing, but through an animal's eyes

Either one of your pets—dog, cat, hamster, snake, even your fish—or an animal that lives in the wild, go nuts. Think outside the box. Let go of the rules. Write through their perspective. Lend them your voice.

5. Write about smells

It could be a scent you love (the smell of clean laundry, freshly-baked cookies, aromatic candles) or a fragrance that makes you nostalgic, like your grandmother's perfume, or the gasoline smell that lingered in your dad's garage. It could be an odor you hate, that instantly makes you nauseated, or a more neutral smell you often encounter. Regardless, describe it in as much details as you can.

6. An old hobby you've left behind

Pretty self-explanatory—travel back as far as you need to, find something you used to love. Maybe you had to leave it behind. Maybe you couldn't find enough time as life got busier. Whatever the reason, write about it. Could it be possible to pick it up again?

7. Write a short story (when I say short, I mean short) using these words

Raindrop. Bookshelf. Claustrophobic. Dauntless. Melody. Bridge. Spotless.

8. Someone important to you

It could be a parent, a friend, a spouse, a coworker, a pet, a teacher. Write a letter to anyone you'd like to thank for being in your life.

9. A weather you like

Close your eyes and imagine you're walking outside—a sunny summer day, a soft breeze of autumn, a snow storm, a rainy day some might see as gloomy. Explain the weather in details, and how it makes you feel.

10. Your favorite author

Pick one of your favorite books by one of your favorite author—someone whose skills you admire. Study their writing style, how they describe environments, how they write dialogue and inner thoughts, how they handle plot—and make a list of it. Come back to this list whenever you need.

11. Hit fantasy road

This may not be everyone's cup of tea, if it's not, feel free to skip it. Write about what would happen if you were to wake up in a popular fantasy universe. It could be Tolkien, Narnia, Eragon, Skyrim, The Witcher, Game of Thrones. Would you be yourself, a human, trying to get back home? Would you be an elf? A queen? A mage? Go wild, the sky is the limit.

12. Write a short tale for children

Believe me, because I've tried it, it may sound like a waste of time—it really isn't. Nothing better to reset your brain than to get back to simpler words, simpler plot, simpler everything.

13. Create an original character

You don't need worldbuilding, or dialogue, or environmental descriptions. Just focus on this character, shape them into whichever form you would like. Write everything, from the most important traits to the most irrelevant details—do they take sugar in their coffee? Do they even drink coffee? Do they live somewhere where there's no coffee at all?

Do they have moles, or freckles? How many hours of sleep do they get at night? What's their backstory? Do they have friends, or are they a lone wolf?

Write it all down on a list, then, if you feel inspired, write in that character's voice.

14. Contemplate

Take a moment to think about why you write. Why is it so important to you? What makes it irreplaceable? Why do you want to keep writing?

Write it all down, read it, as many times as you want to. Remember it, because it's important.

Got your motivation back? Your creativity renewed?

Good.

Because we're just getting started.