{"id":8128,"date":"2019-01-07T08:30:18","date_gmt":"2019-01-07T13:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/?p=8128"},"modified":"2018-12-18T09:44:41","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T14:44:41","slug":"writing-for-fun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/stress-busters\/writing-for-fun\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing for Fun"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/1254144\/authority_pub-box-2_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"fwit\"><a class=\"psb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" title=\"9 Creative Writing Exercises To Awaken Your Inner Author\" src=\"https:\/\/authority.pub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/81-e14482993493321.jpg\" alt=\"creative writing exercises\" width=\"220\" height=\"167\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/1254144\/authority_pub-box-3_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"entry-title\"><span id=\"div-gpt-ad-authority_pub-box-3-0\" class=\"ezoic-ad ezfound\"><\/span>9 Creative Writing Exercises To Awaken Your Inner Author<\/h1>\n<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main \">\n<div class=\"mashsb-box\">\n<div class=\"mashsb-count\">\n<div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">I believe there\u2019s a writer inside of all of us.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Even if you don\u2019t think you write well, you\u00a0<em>do<\/em>\u00a0have something to say.<\/p>\n<p>You have a story to tell, knowledge to impart, and experiences to share.<\/p>\n<p>Y<span style=\"color: #000000\">ou\u2019ve lived a full life that\u2019s packed with observations and adventures, and you shouldn\u2019t exit this Earth without chronicling them in some way. Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, your life is the laboratory for\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000000\" href=\"http:\/\/liveboldandbloom.com\/11\/writing\/how-to-write-a-book\" class=\"broken_link\">creating a great book<\/a>\u00a0or story.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000\">If you can talk, you can write \u2014 even if you need to brush up on grammar and spelling. You\u2019ll naturally\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000000\" href=\"http:\/\/liveboldandbloom.com\/09\/writing\/becoming-a-writer\" class=\"broken_link\">become a better writer<\/a>\u00a0the more you write. You\u2019ll learn how to organize ideas, make smooth transitions, and expand your vocabulary. Reading also improves your writing, so if you have the tiniest desire to write well, read a wide variety of books in different genres.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>These exercises\u00a0should be practiced without self-judgment, inner filters, or concern about what a reader might think. The purpose is to allow your creative mind complete freedom to cut loose. You don\u2019t have to show this writing to anyone if you don\u2019t want to.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Here are 9 creative writing exercises to get you\u00a0started:<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>1. Answer 3 questions.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In this exercise, you\u2019ll use three questions to stimulate creative thought. You can write these questions yourself, but I\u2019ll give you some examples to show you what to do.<\/p>\n<p>You want to answer the questions as quickly as you can, with whatever ideas pop into your mind. Write as much or as little as you wish, but just allow the words to flow without pondering too much what you want to say.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Write a letter to your younger self.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In this exercise, you are writing to yourself at a younger age. It can be your childhood self or yourself just a few years back. You can offer advice, compassion, explanation, forgiveness, or praise. Or you can simply recount an experience you had and how it impacted you as your adult self now.<\/p>\n<p>Try to see this younger self as a real and separate person when you write the letter. This exercise helps you think about your reader as a real person with emotions \u2014 a person who can be moved and inspired by your writing.<\/p>\n<p>Again, try not to overthink this exercise. Spend a few minutes deciding the core message of the letter, and then just start writing without filters.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Use writing prompts.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A writing prompt is an idea that jump starts the writing process. The prompt can be a short sentence, a paragraph, or even a picture, but the purpose is the same \u2014 to ignite your creativity\u00a0so you\u2019ll begin writing.<\/p>\n<p>Writing prompts can help you when you feel stuck while writing your book. If you take ten minutes to work on a writing prompt, you can go back to your book writing primed to get down to business. It stimulates ideas and the creative process.<\/p>\n<p><strong style=\"font-size: 10px;letter-spacing: 0.1em\">4. Write about your expertise.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Think about something you know how to do well. It can be anything from washing the dishes to selling stocks. Write a few paragraphs (or more if you wish) explaining some aspect of how to do what you do. Assume your reader is completely ignorant about the subject.<\/p>\n<p>This writing shouldn\u2019t\u00a0sound like a dry instruction manual. Try to write in a conversational style, as though you\u2019re verbally explaining the process. Break down the steps in a way that makes the reader understand exactly what to do, without using business jargon or buzzwords.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Write a stream of consciousness page.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This is an easy and fun exercise. You want to write it in longhand rather than typing on your computer, as handwriting slows down the process and allows more time for your creative brain to do its work.<\/p>\n<p>Grab a pen and blank pad and simply start writing. Write down whatever comes into your brain, no matter how nonsensical or disjointed. In her book,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1585421464\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1585421464&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=livbolandblo-20&amp;linkId=ORTHOGPA577ALDLM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Artist\u2019s Way<\/a>, author Julia Cameron calls this free writing, \u201cMorning Pages.\u201d She asks the reader to write three pages of stream of consciousness writing every morning. Here\u2019s what she says about Morning Pages:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages \u2014\u00a0they are not high art. They are not even \u201cwriting.\u201d They are about\u00a0anything and everything that crosses your mind\u2013 and they are for your eyes\u00a0only. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and\u00a0synchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put\u00a0three pages of anything on the page\u2026and then do three more pages tomorrow.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>6. Write a story told to you.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In this exercise, you want to recount a story told to you by another person. It can be a story one of your parents or grandparents shared about something that happened many years ago, or it can be a more recent event a friend or family member recounted.<\/p>\n<p>Or you can tell a story you learned in school or through reading about a well-known person or event. The story can be funny, sad, or educational \u2014 but it should be interesting, entertaining, or engaging in some way.<\/p>\n<h3>7. Pretend to be someone else.<\/h3>\n<p>In this exercise, you\u2019ll practice writing from another person\u2019s perspective. You can choose a person you know well, or you can write from the point of view of an imagined character. Put yourself in this person\u2019s shoes, see things through their eyes, and react the way they would react.<\/p>\n<p>Choose one situation, encounter, or setting, and write what you see, hear, think, and feel about the scenario. Get inside of\u00a0this person\u2019s brain, and try to be as descriptive as possible. You can write a paragraph or several pages if you\u2019re inspired.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>8. Write about something or someone who changed your life.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In this exercise, rather than telling the story of someone else or pretending to be another person, you want to share your story from your perspective. Write about a person or event that has profoundly impacted you and changed your life.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than simply recounting the situation, talk about how it made you feel, what your reactions were, and how you were changed on the inside as well as the outside. Pour your heart into this writing. Remember, you don\u2019t have to show it to anyone, so be completely vulnerable and real in this exercise.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>9. Describe your surroundings.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Simply\u00a0write a paragraph or two about your surroundings. You can write in first person (\u201cI am sitting at my desk, which is littered with papers and old coffee cups.\u201d), or write in third person, simply describing what you see (\u201cThe room is bleak and empty except for one old wooden chair.\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>Challenge yourself to use descriptive language to set the scene. Rather than saying, \u201cThe light is shining through the window,\u201d you might say, \u201cThe morning sun is streaming through the window, spotlighting a million dancing dust particles and creating mottled shadows on my desk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, you want to write intriguing descriptions that invite the reader into the setting so they can \u201csee\u201d what you see.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/authority.pub\/creative-writing-exercises\/\">https:\/\/authority.pub\/creative-writing-exercises\/<\/a><\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>9 Creative Writing Exercises To Awaken Your Inner Author I believe there\u2019s a writer inside of all of us. Even if you don\u2019t think you write well, you\u00a0do\u00a0have something to say. You have a story to tell, knowledge to impart, &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/stress-busters\/writing-for-fun\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9193321,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[313092,241883],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-self-image","category-stress-busters"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paB9fc-276","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9193321"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8128"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8131,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8128\/revisions\/8131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}