The very first method that is easiest for many to try is by writing out characters. Seriously, some of the best character ideas come when you're stuck and you want some extra inspiration elsewhere. You might watch a FIFA game, go hiking with a relative, or even do something as mundane as showering, and you'll find inspiration. The trick is to write it once you hit said inspiration. Some of my best character ideas start when I'm feeling either especially inspired about something (like the Winter War-inspired character not in my debut novel), or, as silly when it sounds, when I'm not even trying.
This sounds obscene, but it works! If you like a particular character or person you enjoy reading/watching/listening to, it can be anything. There's a level of judgemental when writing in that some people might classify something you do as 'lazy' or 'unoriginal', but some of the best ideas come from the realm of the mundane. You also cannot predict what your writing style might be, so you need to nurture what works for you as far as that process is concerned. You might keep the first name of a celebrity, a main character from a show, or do something of the sort. The best fictional characters are inspired by reality.
Another way I do a 'writing reset' is simply by writing what's on my mind. This can be specific creative writing for prose practice, planning, or it can literally just be writing your thoughts down. I have a specific genre that I write in, something I'm unsure if it even has a name yet, but often a writing reset can be just stepping out of your comfort zone with genres and writing something different. For example, the horror genre is one of my favorites, and I love it when horror books or movies are actually scary, not just disturbing or jump scare-heavy. Humbly, I think that the best horror comes from the mind; the psychological element. Sometimes, we writers are critical of specific genres; maybe they're genres we enjoy. Why not try writing out what we think is incorrect with it and try to write how we think it should look? Like a scientist, we can see what works and what doesn't. All part of the research element.
One thing I struggled with when I first started writing was attempting to write passages outside my usual writing time (which for me is the morning). Despite this, you can bend the bounds of your mind to work for you. Did you know that your brain writes best when it's entirely undistracted for a short time? Some people can write for hours on end, but one of the most sustainable ways to write is to try 30-minute writing sprints where you go into focus mode. I turn notifications on my phone and computer off; I just listen to music, pop up an image board, and write to my heart's content. Of course, prime your mind; think about what you want to write before you write it. Otherwise, you'll be sitting and nothing will happen most of the time.
Writing resets are interesting things in themselves. It took me a while to figure these out on my own, and while these may seem trivial, short pieces of information, they were areas in which I was stuck for a long time. Had I known these when I started writing, I might've completed my first book much faster and turned longer stretches of time into more productive, creative pieces of time.
Thank you for tuning into the Friday blog post. Have a great day, and of course,
Until we meet again,
Dustin