It’s that time of year when every other article you come across is about spring cleaning—throw it out, donate it, organize, organize, organize! But here at Plume lately we’ve been thinking about the idea of spring cleaning your creativity, so to speak. Just like a home, a creative mind can become cluttered and difficult to navigate. So how do you find your way back to your best creative writing self?
Get Inspired
It sounds obvious, but try reading books and authors that you love, or ones you’ve always meant to read, but haven’t yet. Great writers need to read and take in different ideas and styles of writing. Not sure where to start? Check out this great list of women writers from Powell’s.
Go Through Old Work
Sometimes you may find a gem, a piece you put away years ago and now can see with new eyes. More than likely, though, you can find old work to simply get rid of. Delete moldering files off your hard drive that are just taking up space, and listen with satisfaction to the crinkling sound as you empty your virtual trashcan (or if you simply can’t bear to part with any work, move these files to an external hard drive or to an email account set up for this very purpose). If you have hard copies, why not shred them and use the paper for decorative purposes (something we’ve been considering at Plume!)? I had a friend who would make a bonfire and invite writer friends over to burn drafts they wanted to be rid of.
Reimagine Your Workspace
Okay, okay, this does fall more under the traditional spring cleaning umbrella, but the intent is creative and pure. How’s your writing space looking? Is it cluttered and overrun with who knows what, like mine?
Are there unnecessary, distracting stacks of papers or tchotchkes? Or is it perhaps a little too austere and uninspiring? No two writers need or want the same thing in a writing space, but take stock of what works for you and think about how to reassess your current space.
Check out this fun infographic for inspirational ideas!
Writing Rituals
We all have them, even if they’re subconscious. I will confess that I always begin a writing session by playing the same song, and then transitioning into whatever classical album or film score piques my interest that day. Though they’re not required, setting up some writing rituals can help you to habitualize sitting down to work on your craft. Some options, besides my own musical proclivities, include preparing a specific drink and/or snack, lighting a scented candle, or wearing a particular hat, robe, pair of socks, etc. Maybe you have an old ritual that’s gone a bit stale, or you’ve never tried to create one specifically for your writing, but it can’t hurt to see if something works well for you.
You Do You
At the end of the day, you know what works best for your process, but spring is a pretty good time to reassess (Just think how easily you can get distracted with summer just around the corner!). What are some other ways you might spring clean your creativity?
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