Read Something (part 1)

I’m going to start this month’s series with an admission. I hadn’t written very much this year, until a few weeks ago. Since I was brought on as an associate editor with RAD Writing, I haven’t really had the time. At least, that’s what I’ve told myself. Really, I think I’ve just been low on ideas. In a rut. Feeling like every idea I’ve had is the same one I’ve already written—and I’m just not okay with that.

So, I’m going to take a month to tell you all the things I’ve done to get myself out of it, since I’m sure I’m not the only one to have felt this way, or had this problem. We all feel done with our own ideas and our own heads, from time to time. I think that goes with the territory.

This week, I’m actually giving you the same advice twice. You’ll see how on Thursday. But for right now, if you’re stuck in a rut, I want you to…

Read Something

But not just anything. I don’t want you to read anything that you’ve written, anything by a friend of yours, or anything that you know you won’t like as much as something else.

No, I want you to read something that inspires you.

For me, that’s something by Michael Crichton, something fantasy, or something unlike anything I’ve ever read before. So what did I read? Well, I’ve been reading The Witcher novels, along with Patrick O’Brian and Agatha Christie. Yeah, yeah, I just said Michael Crichton and he’s not in that list, but I didn’t feel like paying for another book, so I read some books off the bottom of my to-read pile.

The thing is that for most of us, the reason why we’re growing tired of our own words, is that they’re the only things we’re seeing. I find that most often, if I’m annoyed by my ideas or I don’t like what I’ve been working on, it’s because that’s the only thing that’s occupied my time. It’s important to break away from your story.

Get out there and read something. Pick up a book that’s not in the genre you’re writing, something that might give you an idea that’s out of the ordinary for the genre in which you write, and see if you can make it work in your story.

Remember, ideas are all up for grabs. No one can copyright an idea. So take those ideas from other authors and mold them to suit your story.

As an aside, if you have trouble convincing yourself to steal an idea, remember that most of the time, authors are excited to know you found something like that out of their work. Seriously.

For me, it meant reading something in a genre I don’t normally write, and then using those books to flavor the way I write now. O’Brian is amazing when it comes to detail, so I’ve been peppering my new story with more detail than I generally like to use. Christie keeps the pace moving quickly, keeps the characters many, so I’ve dabbled in having more characters than I usually like to have. And the Witcher novels? Well, those are just crazy—so we'll see what comes of that.

Try it. Read something. I dare you.

[love]

{Rani Divine}