The Secret To Creativity ✓

•13• aishixwrites

Creative writing tips from aishixwrites

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Writing can be difficult at first glance. When I first decided to try my hand at writing, I was so intimidated by it! Nevertheless, I decided to brave through all of the nerves, and I wrote a few books — a mafia romance influenced by 2015 Wattpad mafia fics, a vampire romance, and a royalty-peasant romance — three drafts that will never see the light of the day but can proudly be termed as the founding stone for all my current works.

So I guess, what I want to say is — that writing is all about starting. Writing can be just dumping ideas about one book onto the paper until things start linking or making sense, or it can be just random scenes and dialogues that you'd like to incorporate into some story one day. always remember — you can always make your writing better and more diverse and interesting by editing it — but you can not edit a blank document! With this, I'd like to share my top ten creative writing tips with all those who braved writing but would like to have little boosts for increasing their creativity. I have got your backs!

(i) Read the genre you want to write.

I can not stress this enough. if you're writing a romance, read more romance books to get ideas and inspiration. if you're writing fantasy, read fantasy books. if you're writing a mafia action romance, read books in the same genre. in short — read. Reading is the ultimate source of inspiration for all writers!

(Both books and movies in the same genre of your current work-in-progress help incite inspiration!)

(ii) Devote your interests to Pinterest.

Pinterest is my literal savior! Creating boards of my book, with different sections for different characters, has not only helped me with establishing a certain atmosphere in my book — but has also helped me create and shape my characters. So, writers, Pinterest can be a powerful tool if you know how to use it! Plus, many a time when I feel unmotivated, scrolling through pins on my book's board or adding more pins to the board regarding my book's aesthetics lifts my spirits!

(iii) Make Spotify playlists!

What's better than having a playlist that expresses the theme of your book through songs? Listening to Spotify playlists of my books not only helps me write better, but also put me in the mood to come up with creative ideas!

(iv) Making graphics for your book.

I know this might come as a bit of a shocker, but when you make graphics for your book, it motivates you so much more! From mood boards to headers to book covers — graphics have a wide range when it comes to serving aesthetics as well as providing inspiration!

(v) Write. write. write.

I cannot stress this enough but WRITE. Write a bit of your WIP every day. Even if it is just a sentence. Write it. Even if it's some scene from your book that you won't publish but would keep in drafts. Write it. The more you write, the more the words will incrementally flow.

(vi) Reach out to fellow writers.

Social groups! Being with like-minded people who have similar goals inspires us to achieve our goals faster — it's a proven psychological fact! So the next time you find yourself feeling unmotivated, reach out to your fellow writers and readers and have a chat with them! You never know when inspiration will strike.

(vii) Rewrite the scenes.

Feeling stuck at a particular scene and feeling that the words won't flow? Did feeling stick in a rut in the middle of the chapter? Put those written scenes away for recycling and using them in some other instance — and then, rewrite. Rewrite the whole chapter, start from scratch, and let the story lead you naturally from one event to another. Many a time, when the scenes aren't working — it probably isn't meant to be there! and if you're on a writing spree but don't know which dialogue to put there at the moment? Put a blank there! You can come there later on when you're done with your spree and have newer ideas in your head! But always, jot. those. ideas. down!

(viii) Be a plotter AND a pantser.

Some people plot every interaction and event happening in their stories — and they are called plotters. then, some people prefer to write by the seat of their pants without any forethought or planning — and they are called pantsers. But for personal advice? Be a little of both! Why not enjoy the best of both worlds? Be a plotter when it comes to outlining the main events of the chapter — this will help set a pace for your story and will help correlate each scene with the other. But when it comes to letting your imagination run free and adding animated scenes and dialogues and more, why not be a pantser? Plot your story and add boundaries, but don't make the boundaries too impenetrable. Sometimes, it can be a bit suffocating and can lead to a halt in the creative writing process.

(ix) Read the comments and take suggestions!

Be it the inline comments of Wattpad books of the same genre as your WIP, or be it comments left by lovely readers on your book — read every comment. Sometimes, they provide constructive criticism. Sometimes, the speculations provide new ideas. And sometimes, the little praises just inspire us to create more! Get to know the readers better, and you'll find yourself concocting more and more plots for the readers to enjoy!

(x) Immerse yourself in the world of your book.

If you don't know the fun little details of your book, who will? When you're sitting leisurely, take some time to imagine your book as a movie — and take time to make up little details about your characters — from the way they walk to the way they talk, the way they smile, or the way they express their disdain. Details are important! Many a time, it's not the path-breaking plot that makes a book great, but the intricately woven characters! Plus, the more time you spend with your own created characters and the world of your WIP, the more you'll be inspired by the real world too! Keep in mind, the world you're creating is entirely new and unique — and no one has thought of that but you!

I probably have more tips that I have learned along the way (which I can't recall at the top of my head, at this moment, unfortunately) but you can always DM me if you want to have a chat, or simply send me an email! either way, I hope this has been fun and helpful — because I sure had a lot of fun writing this!

with love,
aishi.

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Thank you so much for your valuable writing tips, author!