Writing is tough. Motivating yourself and getting those creative juices flowing is not always easy and whilst there are no shortcuts to writing success, we do have a couple of tricks up our sleeves that can improve your writing.
1) Grab some fresh air
A study by the University of Kansas found that spending time in nature (without your phone) increased creativity by a whopping 50%!
2) Be #relatable
When you’re writing a story, make sure it resonates with you. A study found that when a reader reads a story they can relate to there is an increase in the level of oxytocin (the cuddle hormone) in the brain. Who doesn’t want their stories to make others feel good?
3) Stop writing
Yes, you read that right. Stop writing! A study by Harvard University found that the best time to get creative ideas is when you’re distracted and doing dopamine-producing activities (dopamine being the pleasure hormone) such as showering, running or driving.
4) Get in touch with your emotions
Next time you’re in a bad mood, put down the ice cream and pick up your notebook. A study suggests that both positive and negative emotional states can lead to increased creativity.
5) Pick up a pen
New research suggests that writing by hand can be more effective at getting into the creative flow than typing on a Word Doc. Let’s hope you don’t have messy handwriting!