Writers Tricks of the Trade Volume 6 Issue 4 | Page 32

DON’T GET STUCK IN A WRITER’S RUT
Morgan St. James

ARE YOU
STUCK?

It doesn’t matter if you write fiction, nonfiction or poetry—writers pretty
much base everything upon their own imagination. Our imagination is
triggered by things we’ve seen, learned or actually experienced. In the
beginning, we have a whole basket full of ideas to be developed, but
eventually we work our way through them. Then what? How to come up
with fresh scenarios and characters?

Are you a creature of habit?
Do you take the same route from place to place every time you travel
between destinations? Do you have favorite restaurants and limit yourself to
what you know and love? A definite look in outfits, authors you like to read?
The list could go on and on. We do this because it’s comfortable or because
we like certain places and foods, or we always feel good in certain types of
clothes.

DRIVE
DIFFERENT
ROUTES

Imagine you’re writing a scene and the area is one that is so familiar you
can navigate it with your eyes closed. You drive the same route every time
and it’s so easy to describe where your characters are. Ah, but now you have
a problem. You’ve determined that the series will always take place within
these boundaries, so the fans of your series know it almost as well as you do.
That’s becoming boring. There’s nothing unexpected anymore in the
surroundings.

Break the mold

MEET NEW
PEOPLE

JULY-AUGUST 2016

It’s time to experience new things so you can write about them. That
doesn’t mean you have to leave your comfort zone or take an ocean voyage.
This is such an easy solution for a countless amount of creative information,
that it’s one of those things we don’t even think about doing. For the next six
times, take a different route. It doesn’t matter if it takes a little longer. In fact
it’s better if it winds through unfamiliar territory. Observe everything with a
writer’s eye on each of these trips. Now you have a whole new basket full of
ideas you can use while staying in the same neighborhood.
The same thing goes for the food, the clothes, the books and everything
else. What about trying the Indian or Thai restaurant if you’re basically a
plain food person. Even if you don’t like the food your protagonist will know
what it tastes like. And, who knows, maybe you will have discovered a new
love. Do you always dress in muted tones? Try adding some vibrant colors
and think about how you feel when you look
at yourself
mirror. Again,
WRITERS
’ TRICKSinOFthe
THE TRADE
PAGE
those are feelings you
can24transfer to your characters.