5 reasons to write something different

No matter how long we have been doing it, writing can still seem like a challenge – but we can also end up stuck in a writing rut, even if we don’t feel like we’re in one. Writing similar things all the time can be great (a particular series of novels, say, or a speciality subject that we’re something of an authority on), but it also makes sense to change things up from time to time and write something different. Here are some of the best reasons why writing something different is definitely worth a try.

Keep it fresh. The last thing we want as writers is for our writing to get stale. Actually, the last thing we want is for the teabags to run out, but stale writing is also up there. Trying different things can keep it fresh as we’ll be less likely to get stuck on a particular groove.
Find new inspiration. Inspiration can be hard to come by sometimes, but writing something different can really free up your thought processes. Whether you write an entirely new idea or simply re-write a current project in a completely different style, it’s sure to be a useful exercise.
Find what you’re really good at. When we’ve been writing in a certain way for a while, we can start to think that that’s what our writing is, not realising that actually, there’s another kind of writing that we’re even better at. You’ll never know if you don’t try, so give a different style a go.
Find the right style for a project. We might be convinced that Idea A will work best as a short story, but what if some other form of writing might be better? Doing things differently might not always be the way to go, but sometimes it can really make things click.
Be more original. We all want to be original with our writing, and writers and readers alike are always looking out for something new. Trying something unusual with your writing might produce a few messes, but it could also produce something zippy, exciting, and genuinely original.

Do you like to try different styles of writing, and how do you think it benefits your work?