If you’re an author, it’s not unusual to find yourself in a creative rut. Maybe you’re struggling to find a new topic for your next book or short story, or you might find yourself totally unmotivated when it comes to getting the right words out on paper. Either way, it’s never a bad idea to practice some writing exercises that broaden your imagination.
Whether you write fiction or publish scientific research, the use of writing prompts in a wide range of genres can really help to stimulate that writer’s brain of yours. It’s for this exact reason that we suggest you dip your toes into a few unfamiliar genres and topics. In doing so, you can revisit your project or focus area with a fresh perspective and maybe a little bit of additional information and opinion.
Keep reading to hear a few of our favorite out-of-the box writing topics and prompts and see if they can help spark that inner creativity.
Scary Stories
This is a fun one. If you don’t consider yourself a writer of thrillers or scary fiction, it can be an enticing exercise. Do some research on scary story prompts or think of a starting place and develop your storyline from there. Create characters and delve into the details that make your story thrilling. You’ll be forced to think differently when writing a scary story, focusing more closely on sensory details and descriptive words that you might normally overlook. Play around with tone and different literary strategies to make your writing fit the "scary mold".
Autobiography
Write about yourself! Autobiography can be an interesting exercise for people who typically write fiction. Pick an event from your life, perhaps your childhood, and write about it in such a way that the reader gets enveloped into the time and place. Feel free to break away from the typical autobiography format and add fictional details that enhance the reader experience. If you enjoy writing fiction, this exercise helps to clarify character mindset. Use your own mind and memories to make your characters feel more real.
Current Events
Talk about recent experiences you’ve had or heard about on the news. Current event writing is an excellent way to practice detail-orientation and accurate factual summary. If you usually write non-fiction or focus on scientific topics, it’s important to perfect your practice when it comes to accurately reporting facts. Use this exercise to build upon your writing. Let your fact reporting prompt further discussion regarding possible outcomes and consequences of whatever has occurred. See how you can get creative with keeping your reader engaged. If you can make a pretty dull current event sound exciting, you’ve done your job as a writer.
Satirical Writing
This can be a tough one, but it’s a great skill to add to your writing arsenal. Satirical writing requires thorough interpretation of topics and wittiness that’s subtle, but understandable to the average reader. Practice with satirical writing forces the writer to think about his or her relationship to the average reader. You’ll start to wonder how you’re perceived by your reader and incorporate that mindset into your writing. Plus, if you write fiction, adding a little bit of comedy can be a great thing. Maybe you have a funny character or an embarrassing plot situation that you want to draw attention to. Practice with satirical writing can help.
The writing process is different for every writer. Above all else, it’s important to enjoy the journey and use writing as a way to excite and inspire your own mind. Try out these new and unusual topics as a way to expand your capabilities as an author. To get access to even more inspirational writing prompts, join Opyrus for free!
