If you’re writing creativity has stalled a little bit, Halloween is the perfect time to jumpstart it again!
Insert some fun into your writing life, and you may be surprised at what it does for your story!
Writing Creativity Tip #1. Dress up as one of your characters.
When I wrote Loreena’s Gift, I spent some time over a period of several days with my eyes closed.
My main character is blind, so to experience life as she did, I needed to do more than just imagine what it would be like to do simple things like walk up the stairs or make a meal without my sight.
You can go even further on Halloween by dressing up as one of your characters. Though you can choose any one of them, I’d suggest going with one that you’re having trouble with.
Maybe you can’t imagine how your antagonist moves, or how your heroine’s best friend fixes her hair. Becoming that person for a day or an evening could give you the creative breakthrough you’re looking for.
Writing Creativity Tip #2. Decorate your writing space.
I don’t know about you, but I love lights, particularly inside. Last year around the Halloween holiday, I found a line of deep purple lights that just called to me. I had to have them, but then with everything that was going on, I never got the chance to put them up.
That’s changing this year. I also have a few other Halloween decorations leftover from when I used to teach kindergarten. They’re all coming out where I can enjoy them and let them inspire me!
If you’re looking for some ideas of different types of lights you could use to decorate your writing nook, check out this article in Cosmopolitan. Love the curtain fairy string lights!
3. Get out the camera.
Taking pictures is a great way to invite the muse to visit on any occasion, but during the weeks leading up to Halloween, you’re likely to get more unusual pictures than you would any other time.
If you like haunted houses, for instance, you may be able to take some shots of those you go to see. Even if they don’t want you doing so inside, you can take some outside and see what you get.
Taking pictures of others in their costumes may give you some ideas about character interactions, or you could take a trip around town and snap some shots of people’s yard decorations.
If you write in a spooky genre, take it a step further and head out to the cemetery or find some older houses or abandoned buildings to shoot in your town. Could be you’ll find just the right setting you’ve been seeking for your next scene.
Invite your friends over for a murder mystery game.
This is great for mystery writers, but it can be fun for any writer because of the drama involved.
First, consider your storyline. You may have fun creating one yourself, or you can steal one from one of your favorite mystery authors. Whichever you choose, write the script beforehand.
Next, assign characters to all the participants. (Maybe you can use some characters from your current work in progress?) You can do this ahead of time if you like. It can make it more fun if your guests want to dress up or otherwise embrace their roles.
Then you can decorate your home or wherever you plan to hold the party. Once everyone arrives, you’re ready to play.
If you haven’t played a murder mystery before, here are the general rules:
- Stay in character: Tell everyone that it’s important they stick to their assigned character throughout the evening. (Tip: Offer your guests an initiative to stay in character by having a negative consequence if they break character. Ideas include putting cash in a jar or wearing a silly hat until someone else breaks character.)
- Follow the script: Each guest is given confidential information that can only be shared at a certain time in the game. It’s critical your guests reveal confidential information only when the time is right.
For more help on how to create the game, check out this post on YouDunnit.com. Don’t forget to have a prize ready for the winner!
Writing Creativity Tip #5: Create a week of Halloween posts.
Social media is a great place to experiment with your creativity. Most of your posts will be short and sweet, so it’s not something that will take a lot of time, plus you’ll know almost instantly what posts strike a chord with your connections, which can give you some helpful feedback.
Try the following prompts and see what you come up with:
- What would your favorite monster have for lunch?
- What do pumpkins think while you’re carving them?
- If you were a ghost, who would you haunt and why?
- You’re going on a road trip with Dracula. What sights do you stop to see?
If you have others, please share them!
How do you boost your writing creativity?
Featured photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash.