By Kate Angelo, @thekateangelo
Are you a writer who’s hit a creative wall, struggling to generate fresh ideas and breathe life into your stories? If so, you’re not alone. It happens to the best of us.
But fear not! In this article, I’ll unveil the secrets to unlocking your creative potential and breaking through those writer’s block barriers. By following these 5 steps, you can discover your creative firepower and reignite your passion for writing.
As a novelist in the thriller and romantic suspense genres, I’ve learned that creativity is a flame that can burn brightly with the right fuel. To become an idea generation machine and fuel your creative firepower, it’s essential to fall back in love with learning outside the traditional education system. But how? Check out these 5 steps to help unlock your creative potential:
1. Pursue Curiosity and Collect Materials
Instead of mindlessly consuming content, approach it as an opportunity to learn and grow. When you read, watch, or listen, do so with the intent to gain knowledge and perspective. Read with the lens to turn it into something of your own.
Ask yourself:
Does this novel suck me in immediately, if so, how?
What language evoked emotion within me?
What can I learn from how this author uses dialogue?
What is one thing I can put into practice from this blog or podcast?
How does this author show emotions and backstory verses telling it?
If I had written this book, I would have… (changed the ending/added a plot twist/reworked the beginning/etc)
You get the picture. By asking yourself questions and learning from what you’re consuming, you will transform yourself into a reservoir of creative ideas that you can apply to your own writing.
2. Research and Apply
Knowledge alone isn’t enough; you need to apply it. Research and gain a deep understanding of the subjects that align with your writing goals. For example, if you’re writing a suspense novel, research the psychology of suspense and apply it to your storytelling. Once you’ve absorbed this information, find ways to implement it in your work.
3. Diversify Your Sources
Expand your horizons by exploring various mediums. Read books, listen to podcasts, follow blog posts, and subscribe to newsletters that resonate with your writing interests, but don’t be afraid to venture beyond writing advice. You may want to study productivity from experts who aren’t necessarily authors. I learn a lot about branding and marketing by studying experts in the field. This diverse input will keep your creative fire burning and introduce you to new perspectives and ideas.
4. Have an Idea Development System
Your mind is a treasure trove of ideas, but it’s also incredibly forgetful. To safeguard your creative thoughts, have a notebook or an idea development system where you can jot down ideas, phrases, and anything that piques your interest.
Personally, I carry an A7 size notebook with me at all times. When an idea pops into my head, I write it down. For example, in the car on the way to church, I told my family about a story idea I had, but I was lacking the specific crime. They began to toss out ideas. Some worked and some didn’t. But the conversation sparked my own creativity, and I had a place to jot it all down.
These notes are the seeds of future stories, so don’t let them slip away.
5. Contemplate and Apply
It’s not enough to collect ideas. You must also contemplate different angles and how they relate to your vision and the challenges you face in your writing. Are you struggling to finish your manuscript? Then contemplate the productivity tips and hacks you’ve been absorbing and try a few. Don’t try everything all at once but apply 1 or 2 new principles to your routine for a month and see what happens. You might find that reaching a goal of writing 300 words a day for 30 days gained 9,000 more words than last month.
Likewise, do the same thing with the research. Remember my example of studying the psychology of suspense? Take time to mull over the concepts and consider how they could become integral to your writing. This introspective step can turn a simple idea into a rich and compelling narrative.
In the pursuit of creativity, remember that your ability to generate ideas and weave them into engaging stories is like a muscle – it gets stronger with exercise. By fostering your curiosity, actively researching, and maintaining a system for idea retention, you’ll discover your creative firepower and grow your storytelling. When you fall in love with learning, you’ll arm yourself with the tools to conquer the creative challenge that comes your way. Your journey as a writer will transform, and you’ll kindle the sparks of creativity.
So, remember, the power to solve your writing problems and stoke your creative fire is within your grasp. It’s time to unleash your imagination, turning every obstacle into an opportunity for innovation. Your next story is waiting to be born! Now go and write it with the unstoppable creative firepower you’ve cultivated!
It’s Christmastime and love is in the air. But when these three Elite Guardians walk into the crosshairs of trouble, they find themselves fighting not just for justice, but for the lives of the men they love in this riveting thriller collection!
Deadly Holiday Hijack By Kate Angelo
“Come out to Savannah, she says. It’ll be fun, she says. Boss can be in the nativity pageant, she says,” Yeah. Great idea.
Bodyguard Christina Sherman and her fiancé, former spec ops air commando Grey Parker just want to sneak away to beautiful Savannah, attend a Nativity Pageant, maybe set a wedding date. But when a group of terrorists take over the church and the whole thing is live streamed, they find themselves in a hometown version of a Die Hard Christmas movie. But will they make it to the happy ending?
Kate Angelo is a bestselling Romantic Suspense author, minister, and public speaker from Southwest Missouri who works alongside her husband championing stronger marriages and families through their nonprofit. As Mom to 5 adult children, she’s fluent in both sarcasm and eye rolls. Kate is a coffee addict, tech enthusiast, productivity guru, expert knitter, summer lake fanatic, prayer warrior, dog lover, avid reader, and a known klutz—just ask her doctor. Having aged out of foster care, Kate brings a unique perspective to her writing, breathing life into flawed characters who find hope and healing amidst danger. Subscribe to her newsletter to hear about her pet lion at https://kateangelo.com/