How to get out of a creative rut – What to do when you’re between story ideas

This post is very much for me (like most, to be honest). I’m between stories right now. I haven’t got an idea that excites me so much I can’t stop thinking about it or wait to write it. I am of the mind that writers should be disciplined. That if you have a story idea that you love, you should make time to write it and work on it.

But what do you do when ideas keep washing around in your head but nothing is really sticking? Firstly, I’ll tell you a little about what I’m going through creatively right now so you can know what I mean and maybe you can see it’s normal if you are, too.

My situation and frustrations

Since finishing university in May of last year and graduating in November, I thought “yes, more free time to write!” You can imagine my disappointment, then, when I’ve only been able to finish one draft of a novel in the almost year that it’s been. I’ve had many ideas and followed many threads, but then I go to write and the idea suddenly feels less exciting. Flat, even. So I work on it some more and then I still feel like something isn’t quite right.

Is it me? Is it the story? How can I know for sure?

It feels like a creative rut. It hurts to feel this. Every summer break since working in education, I’ve written a full draft of a novel, ranging from 75,000-88,000 words. In the autumn of 2022, I wrote a 38,000 word shorter draft of a contemporary fantasy after writing an 85,000 word draft in that summer. All while still being a university student and working! I know I can write. I can write even when busy.

Is that the problem?

Now that I have more free time, with university being over, is the expectation and pressure too much? I’ve the free time to do it and so I expect it and therefore can’t do it?

Sometimes it feels like creativity is a rebellious teen! It wants to be seen and heard and play with you at all the wrong moments, but when you want to play, it eludes you. When you have time to get down to the story, the story rejects you.

It’s frustrating and I don’t want that to be true. That’s just how it feels for me right now.

As I said, over the last year, I’ve had plenty of ideas. Cozy fantasy ideas; quirky fantasy; more contemporary fantasy; more horror leaning; many settings and characters… I’ve brainstormed and plotted. I’ve outlined using story structure templates and I’ve tried to pants and discovery write. I’ve tried to go with the flow and also follow a plot outline. I’ve decided to go slow and let things unfold in its time; and I’ve tried to fast zero draft. I’ve created Pinterest boards and Milanote boards for ideas and inspiration.

But nothing seems to stick.

I’ve started about 8-9 drafts of different stories or perspectives on the same idea. This is unlike me. I usually get excited enough to start a draft and tend to finish it. I think 2018, or thereabouts, was the last time I kept writing stories and not finishing them.

Something feels off.

Changing perspective

I (and perhaps you, too), have two choices. Sit around feeling angry and frustrated, or do something about it. Maybe you’re like me and you feel like you’ve tried everything to get inspired and / or disciplined. Great. If that’s the case, maybe all that there’s left to do is accept it.

This is where I’m at right now, and that’s okay.

It’s normal to have ebbs and flows, peaks and valleys with your creativity and writing. It’s normal to feel creatively off. Just like all things in life, we have times of being inspired and active, and times when we need to take a break and reflect. This is just like the seasons. Maybe we are in a creative winter right now. Maybe the pockets of ideas that aren’t sticking are the first flowers that bloom in early spring while it’s still frosty outside. They struggle to come through and take up space. That’s okay.

Summer always comes…

Things to do to get out of a creative rut and you have no story ideas

Take a break from expecting yourself to produce. This is very hard when you consider yourself a “serious” writer. When you want to be professional and disciplined and not let your writing get away from you. But if you don’t have ideas right now or nothing feels exciting enough, it’s okay, and perhaps important, to take a break away. When we try to chase something, it keeps running away. Anyone with a dog knows this! Or when a plastic bag gets caught in the wind! Instead, if we take a break and don’t chase, maybe what we’ve been looking for will find you.

Read through your old work. This is a key one for me but I keep neglecting this. I have about 7 finished drafts that I could be utilising. Whenever I’ve taken the time to read my old work, I’ve felt really good. It’s reminded me that my work is better than I thought. I find old ideas and unique elements of worldbuilding that are so cool that I can repurpose them for new stories. It’s great when you can inspire yourself. It may also remind you that there’s finished drafts waiting for you to edit and make better, if you wish.

Look after your health and have fun. You’re a human being first and a writer/author second (or third or fourth…). You don’t exist just to produce. Life needs to be lived because here’s the secret: that’s where the gold is anyway! By living your life and being present in it, I bet inspiration will come. By having authentic experiences, we taste what life has to offer and not only does it heal our soul, but it enriches our well of creativity. Health is very important for any creative. Are you looking after yourself right now?

Read a lot and analyse the work. We can read our own work but we should also read other novels. Careful not to compare but reading is a writer’s whetstone. It sharpens our swords. But make your reading active not passive. Ask yourself why you enjoyed a book. What works well? What were your favourite parts? This may help you think of interesting ideas for your own work.

Mine your experiences and passions for themes and storylines. What we’ve been through in the past (positive or negative) can have a great impact on us. It shapes us, in one way or another. It could also be a gold mine for ideas. Not only can it be healing to write about our past, it can also be fun. Obviously, be careful not to write about traumatic experiences that don’t feel safe for you. But list your experiences that feel important (big, small, happy, sad and everything in between), and see if anything jumps out at you.

Brainstorm a lot and often. Every time you get an idea, brainstorm. Put the concept in the middle and then just branch off that idea and don’t filter yourself. Let everything just dump out onto the page. It’s all useful. And do this a lot. I did this with all my recent ideas on the same page, so I could see the ideas together. It helps you to see connections that you may not see when they’re just sitting in your head.

Write short pieces just for fun or practice. Novels are daunting. Then, sometimes when you finish but the novel isn’t quite what you wanted anymore, it feels like a lot of wasted time, energy and words. It’s not, of course. Every novel you finish is getting you closer to your dream manuscript, but it feels like a lot. When you feel like you’re in a creative rut, take a step away from novels. To unlock and unstick your creativity, write shorter pieces. Flash fiction, short stories, random scenes, character profiles, poems, all dialogue and no action, descriptive immersive pieces, and so on. Just write…anything! Let your mind go wild and have no expectations of it being a novel, meaning anything, or having to fit any standard.

Journal more often. This is a great way to explore your feelings, look after your emotional and mental health, but also work on your creativity. You can use journal prompts for creativity. You can journal as if you are your characters, to deepen your knowledge of them. You could journal about your goals, your dreams, your motivations for your life. This will all help to inspire and motivate you to write.

Some quick fire tips:

Take long walks and just let things come to you; be mindful and notice thingsTake a course – doesn’t need to be a writing one, it could be anything you find interesting and could spark ideasGo through your captured ideas with a fine tooth comb and see if anything is similarHave deep conversations with people Speak to strangers Try a different hobby or creative outlet for a while Take a trip to refresh your perspective Write in a new genre or a perspective you usually wouldn’t Follow your interests and passions in other ways, like volunteering with animals or going on a hike or painting to refill your creative cupWatch your favourite things and see if anything is sparked

At the end of the day, writing is a beautiful but sometimes tough task. It’s romanticised a lot but sometimes, it just doesn’t feel good or go to plan. That’s okay. If you’ve written anything at all, you’re doing great. If you have finished a big project in the last year, don’t expect yourself to easily write another. Some people can, and sometimes you may, but not always. Novels are a lot of words! Be kind to yourself and you’ll be writing avidly again in no time.

Sincerely,

S. xx