Refresh Your Writing: Three Ways to Break Out of a Rut by Stephanie Cage 0 votes vote Have you ever found yourself getting into a rut... writing t

Have you ever found yourself getting into a rut... writing the same sort of thing over and over again until you feel as if you could do it in your sleep... and maybe even are doing? Or even just wondered whether there's more to writing than the genre you've loved for so long? If so, it might be time to try something different.

1) Turn your writing on its head. Do the opposite of whatever you normally do. I write poetry and prose, but never drama, so for me getting involved in a project to write a one-act play was a great rut-breaker. The play I wrote was dire in a million and one ways, but I learned more from that than from half a dozen 'successful' projects. If you don't know where to start, go to the library or onto Amazon and look for a category of book you wouldn't normally give a second glance to, then challenge yourself to write something - even if it's only a piece of flash fiction - in that genre.

2) Take your writing on holiday. If you can afford it, writing holidays are a great way to inspire change, but there are cheaper ways. Sit in a local park for an hour to people-watch, or walk around a part of town you don't normally go to, challenging yourself to come up with at least one new idea on the way - the dafter the better. This isn't about great quality writing, it's just about stretching your creative muscles.

3) Bring in another creative form. Write about a favourite artwork or photo, bake a cake or put up shelves and write a poem about the experience. Take photos or revamp your wardrobe. Getting creative without any preconceptions can really shift you out of a rut, but so too can doing something new and looking for ways to include it in your writing.

You might find yourself heading off in a whole new direction, or you might decide that where you were is where you were meant to be all along. Either way, you've learned something, and staying open to learning will always make you a better writer.

About the Author

Stephanie Cage is a writer and life coach based in Yorkshire, England. Visit http://www.stephaniecage.co.uk to find out more about writing and coaching.