It’s comfortable to stick with what you know, but these habits can block creative ideas. So switch your POV, form, or setting, tackle an issue you don’t know much about or are generally uncomfortable with- when you step out of your comfort zone, there’s no telling what will emerge.
Writing Outside Your Comfort Zone
Written by: Christine B.
February 25, 2021
It’s easy to fall into a rut with your writing, staying within the comfortable yet confining walls of your comfort zone. Getting outside of your comfort zone can mean trying a different genre, writing process, form, subject, setting, or technique. There are so many ways to experiment with writing, and getting out of your comfort zone can benefit your writing in a myriad of ways. Here are 5 ways writing outside your comfort zone can benefit your craft.
Developing your voice
A writer’s voice is something that’s entirely unique to the individual. By trying something completely different, you’ll better understand your writer’s voice. Experimenting with different aspects of your writing will help you to understand what you prefer, giving you a stronger sense of your voice as a writer. A fiction writer experimenting with poetry might find a unique way to express ideas that blend with their natural voice.
Find what you love
While experimenting, you might find something new that you’d never thought to try before and completely love it. New experiences are treasure troves for inspiration. Maybe you’ll discover that you love historical fiction or inventing new sci-fi gadgetry- whatever the case, you’ll never know if you don’t try.
Find what you don’t love
You won’t like everything you try, and that’s okay. Even if you dislike the exercise or find it difficult, you’ll still grow as a writer. Knowing what you don’t like as a writer is just as valuable as knowing what you do like. It’ll push you towards finding what you do like and you’ll never have to waste your time wondering if a certain idea is right for your writing.
Improve Creativity
Trying something new is a challenge. It forces you to step out of your comfort zone and do some out-of-the-box thinking. Even if you’ve been writing for a long time, stepping out of your comfort zone allows you to temporarily become a newbie once again. It’s a great advantage because whenever you try something new you look at it in a fresh, innovative way. You might have all the skills you need to tell a story, but trying something new will help you to use your skills in a different way.
Improve your writing
Experience is the best teacher. While experimenting with your writing, you’ll come across new ways to use the craft. Whether it’s experimenting with form or genre, you’ll subconsciously be building an arsenal of writing techniques to use at your disposal. By experimenting, you’ll be better equipped to handle any obstacles down the road.
As writers, it’s important to stretch our muscles in new ways. It’s comfortable to stick with what you know, but these habits can block creative ideas. So switch your POV, form, or setting, tackle an issue you don’t know much about or are generally uncomfortable with- when you step out of your comfort zone, there’s no telling what will emerge.
Do you need more writing advice? Here are 5 Thoughts for Writer’s Burnout!
