In my case, there were four most prevalent causes of experiencing a creative plateau as a writer. Here’s how I overcame them with a 30-day challenge. — As a committed writer, you probably know that creative growth rarely feels linear. There are periods when you burst with inspiration and feel on top of the world as you write. But chances are that you have also experienced moments of stagnation, doubt and questioning your skills.

One hour of writing, three days a week, amounts to more than it sounds — I’ve never been much of a “ritual” person when it comes to writing. If I need to, I can write anywhere, anytime, about anything. After all, if I were too precious about the conditions around writing, I wouldn’t have made much money from doing it. But in our new pandemic…

Writers are notorious for not writing. We often have “dry spells” during which we simply can’t get a single word typed. When these periods of non-productivity get out of control, we may wake to find it’s been weeks, months, or even years since we last put pen to paper (or…

Tips from Medium writers on getting that creativity flowing again — I’ve been there. I’ve got the Medium editor open, ready to write… and that’s about it. No ideas are coming. Fortunately it didn’t happen for this post, because y’all shared some incredible tips in the recent open thread on writer’s block. I’m using one of the tips here — marking…

Story ideas are all around — start using the methods of famous writers. — Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go. — E. L. Doctorow Writing is what you want to do and what you enjoy doing for the most part. But there are too many instances when a writer faces a void in their production, and that’s…

In 1916, a man named Joe Gould came to New York City. He slept in doorways, hung out in diners, and took a shower every now and then. He always wore the same garments. If someone gave him new clothes, he would throw the old ones out. You wouldn’t be…

A specific way to read to unlock your writing and creativity. — People often talk about flow in writing. When the flow is flowing, creativity is available in full force. Writing feels good and happens naturally. Time passes quickly. Meals and restroom breaks are forgotten. Excessive force isn’t necessary. Sentences are pieced together almost unconsciously; meaning drips from each written syllable. Things…

A misremembered quote, self forgiveness, and attending to the unmade decisions of a draft. — I deal with writers’ block several times a year, usually in the form of other people’s writers’ block. Specifically, I find myself every year with a few students trying and failing to write their stories for class. Teaching creative writing inside of a liberal arts institution means putting creativity on…