As creative writers, creativity is very important to us. We love being inspired; creating is in our blood. Here’s some tips to help keep the mind and inspiration fresh.

Go for a brisk walk. Bonus points for a nature walk. The fresh air and exercise can help get the blood flowing and in turn it will help keep your mind active. A lot of great ideas are formed while moving around.

Take a quick stretching break. Sitting for long periods of time isn’t good for us so it’s good to switch it up and do a few stretches every couple of hours. If you’re out at a cafe, standing up for a few seconds to do a quick arm and neck stretch can help. Before bed, a nice 10-15 minute stretching routine can help you wind down and relax before sleep. We all know that having a good sleep ensures that we stay happy and healthy – and it’ll help with the writing process, too.

Change your setting. I love doing what I call “cafe hopping” where I’ll write at one cafe for a couple of hours then go for a walk to another cafe and write there. The movement is good for the body & mind and the change of scenery helps refresh the inspiration as well. Sampling different teas/coffees is an added benefit. 🙂

Eat healthy. And also treat yourself sometimes. Some people like to follow an 80/20 or 70/30 rule where you eat healthy most of the time, but also give yourself treats and comfort foods with no guilt involved. Eating nutritious foods not only fuels your body, but it also helps with brain power which is much needed for tasks like story writing. You’ll also feel better overall which is what you want. So, you don’t have to deprive yourself of dessert every day, but do try to eat healthy as often as possible.

Keep a workout routine. I noticed a correlation between when I got fit and when I started to write seriously. It’s like the motivation and determination I had to run and get in shape transferred to my creativity. It’s almost as though one influences the other. Exercise floods your body with endorphins (happy hormones) which is essential for mental health, heart health, and well-being. This alone will enhance your writing. An added bonus I like to think of is this: If I were ever sucked into my writing world, I’d want to be as fit as my main character so I could accomplish what she/he has to go through. LOL I know it’s silly, but do whatever you need to in order to stay motivated. You don’t need to get into some rigorous weight training routine, either. Pilates, yoga, long walks, etc. all count as exercise. Find the one that you enjoy the most.

Warm drinks are comforting. Tea is a soul drink. It’s warm and comforting without the biting edge of coffee. I do like a good coffee, too, with lots of cream. I usually write with a hot drink steaming next to me. It seems to help me as I write. It’s like a little treat that’s energizing and comforting at the same time.

Treat yourself to a book. As a writer, reading is important. If you’re feeling the need to take a break from writing or step away from your story for a bit, reading someone else’s story is like a treat. You can view it a little bit like homework, too, since we can always learn things from other writers.

Allow yourself to work on multiple projects at once. Some people frown at this, but I myself have worked on 2 or 3 stories at once before and I was able to balance them out. I’d work on whichever book I most wanted to write at the time. All of those works are published now, so it didn’t hinder my productivity. If you’re feeling the urge to start something new while you’re currently working on a book, let yourself dig in to the new story. Sometimes inspiration for a particular idea dies if you don’t feed it, so it’s better to entertain it than set aside only to never hear from it again. There’s nothing stopping you from experimenting with different genres and stories at once. Writing should be fun!

Remember that writing should be fun. Writing has and always will be fun to me. It’s why I started and it’s why I keep doing it. I know it’s also hard work and depending on the story, deep emotions and feelings can get involved. If that’s the case, allow yourself to take breaks and step away from your work as needed. Maybe you can balance it out with a lighter story when things get too heavy with another. Overall, I think writing should be enjoyable, so try to do what you can to keep it that way!

Get connected with writer friends. This is pretty key for encouragement and connection. A lot of times the people in our lives aren’t writers and you might not always want to talk about writing with them. Connecting with some solid author pals through blogging and social media can give you the creative support you need. I’ve found this to be really helpful. Their feedback and kind words can make your day even happier.

Photo by fotografierende from Pexels