Unleashing Creativity: 5 Ways to Spark Your Writing
"Switching time, place, or point of view can reignite your creativity faster than waiting for inspiration to strike."
I've been deep in other projects lately, but I didn't want this space to go quiet. Here's a favorite post from the archives that still feels as true as ever — because every writer needs a spark now and then.
Repost from the Archives: Still Relevant in 2025
Originally published May 29, 2023 — updated for readability and SEO.
Even the most dedicated writers hit creative slumps. Whether you call it writer's block, burnout, or simply feeling "stuck," the good news is that creativity can be reignited with a few simple shifts. Here are five proven ways to bring fresh energy back into your writing life.
Unleashing Creativity: 5 Ways to Spark Your Writing
Maybe you're struggling with writer's block — or maybe your writing just feels flat. Perhaps you're caught in a loop where everything sounds the same, and even you are starting to get bored.
Anyone who writes long-term has these periods. They're normal and easier to fix than you think. The only cure for stale writing is fresh writing.
Below are five ways to recharge your creativity, rediscover your enthusiasm, and reconnect with your readers. I've used all of them over the years, and they're easy to mix, match, and make your own.
1. Use Real Calls for Submissions
One of the best writing motivators is a real call for submissions. These posts already include a theme, audience, format, word count, and deadline — everything you need to get started.
You don't even have to submit. Just use the call as a prompt. It's like giving yourself a mock exam: all the conditions are in place, and before long, you're writing for real.
Tip: Type "calls for submissions for writers" into your search bar and you'll find hundreds of options.
2. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
Give your brain a creative challenge by changing tense or perspective.
- If you usually write in present tense, try past or future.
- If you're used to first person, switch to third.
Changing structure changes feeling: writing in the present adds immediacy, while past tense allows reflection and broader scope. New angles = new energy.
3. Shift Point of View (POV)
Switching POV can reveal character depth you didn't know was there.
Try writing from:
- A child's perspective instead of an adult's
- The boss instead of the employee
- The ghost instead of the haunted
Even rewriting a stuck story from another character's viewpoint can unlock hidden motivations and plot possibilities.
4. Shift Time and Place
Set your story 25 years in the past — or future. Move it from your usual city to one you've only visited briefly.
Time and place changes reshape emotion and experience. For inspiration, look at Less by Andrew Sean Greer (Pulitzer Prize, 2018), where every few chapters take place in a new country. It works beautifully — and it works for you, too.
5. Change Mediums
Stuck in prose? Switch formats.
Write five pages of a screenplay, a short play, or even a children's story. Different forms demand different muscles. Screenwriting, for example, hones dialogue and visual storytelling — every line has to earn its place.
Playing in a new medium sharpens focus, forces you to visualize, and strengthens your storytelling instincts.
Final Thoughts
By experimenting with time, place, point of view, and medium, you can reignite your creative spark and fall back in love with your craft. Remember: the goal isn't perfection, it's movement. Fresh words lead to better words.
Have you tried any of these strategies lately? I'd love to hear what's helped you shake off a writing slump.