How to Bring More Artistry to Writing

Do you ever worry that your writing is bland, monotonous or overly simple? Many writers feel this way, especially if they are producing a lot of content on a daily basis. But how do you make those big projects really shine? How can you dazzle readers with your words and breathe some artistry back into your writing? Here are three ways to help:

Look for Inspiration in Other Writing

You’ve heard this a thousand times, but I truly believe one of the best ways to become a better writer is to become a better reader. You learn so much just following the patterns and styles of other writers. You learn what sort of writing suits you and what you’d like to implement into your own work. Read fiction and nonfiction and poetry. Read anything that sparks your interest, and consume as much of it as possible. Find phrases, analogies and storytelling techniques that you like, and figure out how to craft them yourself. Try listening to audiobooks every now and then to really hear the rhythm of the words spoken aloud. Take inspiration from the great work of others. I mean, we all do it. Even Mark Twain said, “There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.”

Flex Those Literary Muscles

Now that you’ve found your inspiration, it’s time to get to business—or get to art, I guess. Flex your literary muscles, and pull out all the stops. Be sure you’re telling every story in a way that’s effective and will connect with readers. Call in the emotion, and make great use of diction. Don’t forget: figurative language is your best friend! This is what makes people pause after reading a sentence and think, “Wow!” Don’t overwhelm your readers with creative writing, but rather have fun with your descriptions, patterns and rhythm. Make sure your voice is coming through, and write something that you’d love to read.

Let Your Writing Rest

Once you’ve written your masterpiece, don’t be so quick to rush it off to be published. Don’t even be quick to edit and revise it. One of the best things I’ve learned about writing is that it needs time to rest. It’s like when you watch a cooking show and the chef finishes cooking a piece of meat. What do they always say? Let it rest before you cut into it. I’m no chef, but I do know a thing or two about writing and that’s a pretty solid rule to follow. Cut back into a piece of writing too soon, and you’ll lose all the good stuff—or worse, you’ll miss all the bad stuff. As soon as I’m done with a piece of writing, I’ll save it on my computer, close the document and leave it closed for at least 24 hours. Then, when I come back to it, I have fresh eyes to edit and make any necessary changes. I can shave down my filler words and make it more concise. I can make sure my writing packs a punch every time.

Great, effective writing is not always easy to do. A lot of times, we have to put great thought and work into making our writing sound effortless. We have to keep molding it to make something that will touch people—because that’s the point, right? Maya Angelou said, “Write so that people can hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart.” How do you bring more artistry to your work?

How to Get Out of a Writing Rut

It’s the end of January, and as much as we hoped we would stay on the wagon with all our New Year’s endeavors, I’m sure many of us feel a little worn down by the gloomy weather and daunting self-improvement we promised to do in 2018.

For writers, it’s easy to fall into a creative rut this time of year (or any time, really). However, if 2018 was the year you decided you would write your book, or simply improve your writing in general, have no fear.

Here are few steps to help you climb out of your rut and keep on creating:

1.       Make deadlines for yourself

I know I have always done my best work under deadlines. A recovering procrastinator myself, I am self-aware enough to know that if I don’t have a due date for my work, I most likely won’t do it. Setting deadlines not only helps us stay accountable, but also visualize our writing process on paper. If you are working on major project—writing a book, perhaps—seeing a timeline of how it might actually get accomplished is essential. If you, like me, have a weakness for beautiful stationery, this is your excuse to invest in a quality planner and start setting those deadlines!

2.       Set Habits, Not Goals

As writers, many of us are also chronic list-makers. We write down our goals in journals and on scraps of paper and in the notes of our phones. Whether you are writing down your daily to-do list or your long-term dreams, I challenge you to not only make goals but to make habits. When time passes and we still have not achieved our goals, we are left with feelings of shame and inadequacy and often dig a new creative rut.

But setting habits, tasks you complete in your daily routine, allows you to see progress toward your larger goal. Don’t stop dreaming, but make sure you allow yourself the opportunity to achieve that dream by working on it little by little. As writer Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.” Let’s spend them wisely.

3.       Write!

This seems like an oversimplified step, but I cannot stress enough how important it is. When we feel writer’s block or a lack of creativity coming on, the best medicine to combat it is often powering through and writing anyway. I used to think writing meant sitting down in a cozy place with a cup of tea and watching the words flow when I felt inspired. And sometimes it is, if I’m lucky. However, most of the time it looks like sitting down to a computer at any given time and allowing myself to hone my skill, whether I’m feeling moved to do so or not. And so, I urge you to write when you don’t feel like it. Write when you think your writing is poor.

Write when you are ready to give up and there aren’t enough cups of tea in the world to make you feel like a good writer. Even if you end up not using the pieces you create when you are less than inspired, keep on keeping on. At some point you will be writing along and rediscover your spark, your voice, your breath of fresh air. And you will have at least gotten some practice in along the way.

We can talk and think about writing all we like, but until we actually start doing it, we can’t get out of the rut. Be generous with yourself, accept that you are a good writer, and let yourself do what you ultimately love to do, one small step at a time.