Writing Through Adversity: 3 Writing Projects You Can Begin NOW to Occupy Your Mind and Keep the Creative Juices Flowing
/There will inevitably be times in our lives when we feel too distracted or stressed to stay focused, much less create something special. With all that’s currently going on in our world, this is one of those times for many of us, which is why it’s so important to find a project to immerse ourselves in. Indeed, it is our life-affirming creativity and passion that will prevent us from being sucked into the negativity circulating via the twenty-four-hour news cycle and social media. We also need to set aside some quality “me” time, especially if much of our day is spent caring for the needs of others or riddled with uncertainty.
So how can we stay productive and keep those creative juices flowing in times of adversity? While it may be challenging to work on a larger project such as a novel or a memoir, there are smaller projects that may not take as much time and energy but provide a much-needed creative outlet.
Here are a few steps you can take to get started:
Find the best time of day for YOU. Perhaps you used to be most productive in the afternoon, but now find that with your spouse and/or kids home you have limited alone time and privacy. Try getting up an hour earlier, or staying up an hour later. You might even start small by setting aside 20 minutes here and 30 minutes there, and then working up to an hour per day once you find the time that works best for you and your family. Remember, you’ll want this time to be free of distractions, so, if possible, find a place where you can work uninterrupted. For a great book on developing a daily writing routine, check out The Morning Miracle for Writers.
Declutter your surroundings. It’s hard to focus on anything when there is clutter around us as our minds tend to mirror our surroundings. Spend some time clearing the clutter before you sit down to create. Stuck at home most of the day? Cheer up your surroundings with fresh flowers, open the windows and get some clean air circulating, or do an overall spring cleaning to lift your mood and energy. You’ll find your creative juices flow more freely with a decluttered home and workspace.
Seek out inspiration. What motivates you? Read a good book, watch your favorite movie, or listen to some uplifting music to get yourself in the mood to create. Keeping your vibration high at this time is essential, and usually it will spark some inspiration and help with your creative flow.
Once you’ve found some time for yourself, cleaned up your space, and connected with your muse, now it’s time to create. What type of writing project can you work on that won’t take too much time from your day? There are plenty!
Here are three of my favorites:
Journal. Journaling not only allows us to process emotions, it’s a great way to exercise the writing muscle while also documenting a significant period in your life. You never know when you’ll want to write about this time in a book, so having a journal to reference is a great way to keep record of your feelings and experiences while also processing stuck emotions and moving unwanted energy. Grab yourself a journal or notebook (it doesn’t have to be fancy) and escape to your bedroom or, even better, a nook outdoors for 20-30 minutes. Find some time where you’ll be uninterrupted so you can allow your feelings to flow freely onto the pages.
If you want to go this route but would prefer to do your writing online, be sure to check out 750 Words. This is essentially an online journal; a place for you and your thoughts. The creators of this platform were inspired by Julia Cameron’s The Artist Way, with the belief that writing three pages each morning (approximately 750 words) will not only get you in the habit of daily writing, but will help clear your mind and get the ideas flowing for the rest of the day. You’ll earn points for reaching your daily goal, which makes it fun to rack up points and record your progress. 750 Words is password-protected, so you can rest assured that your journal entries are stored in a safe space.
Blog. Blogging serves many purposes besides the obvious, which is a place to share your writing with the world via your website or a dedicated blogging platform. The other reasons you may want to start a blog are to drive traffic to your website through SEO (search engine optimization), share your expertise so your readers find your other products and services, or monetize your writing by building a popular blog in your niche or topic of interest.
If you’re ready to start a blog you can monetize and do it properly from the start, I highly recommend Heather and Pete Reese’s course, Blogging Blastoff 2.0: A 30-Day Step-by-Step Plan for Building the Blog of Your Dreams.
Writing Prompts. Writing is something that improves with practice, and consistent daily writing can make you a better writer much faster. I love writing prompts because they are an easy way to get the creative juice flowing and they don’t take much time out of your day. There are many places you can seek out writing prompts, and a quick online search will return plenty of results. One of my favorites is Daily Page. Each day you’ll receive a new writing prompt that will help you exercise that creative muscle. There is a small monthly fee of $3.99 for this service, but I find it well worth it to have a new idea delivered to my inbox each day.
These are just a few of the ways that you can exercise the writing muscle while also doing something for yourself during these trying times. Don’t forget, YOU matter too. Self-care is critical, because you cannot pour from an empty cup!
