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Writing Exercises to Bring Back the Fun, Break Out of a Rut, and More

u Writing regularly is one of the best ways to improve as a writer. Doing the same thing over and over, however, can be a prime recipe for writer’s block. Regardless of what season of writing life you are in at the moment, flexibility and exploration are key. With that in mind, below are five ideas for ways to bring some play into your own writing and that of the young writers in your life.

  1. Switch up the genre or form

We all tend to have genres and forms with which we feel more comfortable writing. That doesn’t mean, however, that you always need to or ought to write in that vein. Do you typically write prose? Try a form of poetry. Do you typically write fiction? Spend 20 minutes writing creative non-fiction or journaling. Writing the inverse of what you usually do can freshen up your practice. It can also help you acquire and strengthen skills that you can use in your main work. For example, even though I write primarily in prose, I spent years studying and practicing poetry. As a result, I employ poetic techniques in almost everything I write.

 

  1. Try out a new craft element

Take a look at your current read, or an inspiration for your writing project and pick one or two writing techniques the author employs that you admire. Study how the author goes about using the technique in the work.  Then try it out in your draft or current project somehow—maybe in just one scene or on just one page. Emulation is a great way to break through a writing rut and to expand your writing prowess.

 

 

  1. Re-read your favorites

Whether they are your favorites in the genre in which you’re writing or just your overall favorite books, revisiting books that have shaped you as a writer and reader is important. Spend time taking notes as a reader and as a writer and really sit with the books. What techniques do you find especially effective in connecting with you as a reader?  How can you emulate those techniques in your own work? This is an especially useful practice for grounding yourself as a writer if you’re feeling lost or stuck.

 

  1. Do some observation adventures

Pulling from lived experiences, overheard conversations, and other observations is a classic writing tip, but maybe it’s been some time since you let yourself take in your surroundings with your writer’s eye. With this in mind, go outside to a park, a mall, a restaurant or wherever is most appealing and take a notebook with you. Write down as many observations as possible, no matter how obvious or random. Even ten minutes in your neighborhood is enough to fuel an abundance of ideas. This is great to jumpstart your creativity on days when you’re feeling restless or uninspired.

 

  1. Change point of view

No matter what genre in which you’re writing, perceptive is key. Try rewriting your current project (or a part of it) from a different perspective—or even more than one. If you’re feeling as if you need to get to know a character more, rewriting a scene from a different perspective can reveal new things about that character. You may be feeling like the structure of the scene isn’t working. In that case, this exercise can break it into new directions. If you’re feeling like the tone of your piece is flat or ineffective, a new perspective can drastically change that. In other words, don’t be afraid to try playing with this core element—it can help you with numerous issues.

 

Wherever your writing is taking you right now, I hope this list can bring some exploration and fun into your process. And, maybe it’ll inspire you to come up with other writing exercises too!

 

Reluctant Reader Meet Reluctant Writer

Young girl sitting at her desk with her head down in a book.

As educators, parents, and creatives, we are very familiar with the notion of the reluctant reader: young—and old—readers who dread picking up a book, yet alone finishing it! Educators struggle with recommending interesting stories to unmotivated readers. Parents struggle with unfinished library books that their children just HAD to have. Writers struggle with creating unique and binge-worthy tales for their audiences. While the concept of a reluctant reader is well known, its counterpart—the reluctant writer—may not be as popular. 

Some students may be labeled as reluctant writers because they have a deadly aversion to writing. Be it a short-answer response on their exams, or a creative story for an assignment, reluctant writers have zero desire to put their thoughts down on paper for whatever reason. This scenario happens to the best of us and I would proudly declare that I consider myself to be a reluctant writer. Even if I know I have amazing stories to tell, when it comes time to sit down and put pen to paper, my brain shuts down!

For many of us, the start of a new project is always exhilarating. It’s thrilling to sit up and think about new characters, new worlds, and new loves. The entire process is always exciting at the beginning. When you open up a fresh, blank document and start typing your first words, all of your ideas flow easily onto the page. The story starts off strong and your characters come to life while you document their trials and tribulations. Your plot thickens as you hit a groove and steadily add to your word count day after day after day. But then suddenly, it happens without warning ~ writer’s block. 

Clip art of a boy at his desk with his hand on this chin, staring into space.

Your ideas become stale, your writing stalls. Your blank pages stare back at you, judging your ineptitude. Your characters whisper behind your back and mock your inability to continue the story. Your world fades the longer you miss your streak and fail to add new words. Eventually, you stop opening the document and move on to a different project. Another manuscript sits in your folder, hoping to see the light of day again, but you both know that story is done. This vicious cycle of new stories, vigorous writing, stalled plotlines, and incomplete manuscripts lives at the heart of today’s truth. 

Writing is numbing. 

It’s extremely difficult to maintain a strict writing schedule when you have life coming at you from all sides. Plus, brilliance rarely strikes every day, so I believe it’s bad practice to force yourself to write every day. Burnout is real and so is the pain of being unable to complete your beloved manuscript. This pain becomes so numbing, you’re unable to do anything else. 

Yet knowing that inspiration comes when it wants, it’s very possible you’ll miss it if you don’t have a steady routine. I know this sounds very contradictory, but the writing process is not just about writing. There are so many other writing-related things you can do when you are caught in the middle of a creative drought. 

Learn to acknowledge the numbing feeling of writer’s block and look for ways to break free from it. Invention is the most difficult part of creation, regardless of the medium you work in. And it’s hard to find the right words to articulate the vision you have in your head. Oftentimes, the words don’t want to come or the scenes just don’t flow.

To trigger my creative side, I’ll take a break from forcing myself to write and wind down by reading or watching shows. Once inspiration hits, I’ll have a brainstorming session to help me get over my writer’s block. Nothing major or planned. Just a quick free write to jot possible ideas down on paper. Usually, this gives me a starting point for stalled manuscripts and I will feel ready to return to them.

Another helpful tip is having writer friends or accountability partners that understand what you’re going through and can pull you out of your self-inflicted misery. We all go through bouts of imposter syndrome, but it doesn’t mean you need to succumb to this malady. It’s important to acknowledge when we’re feeling this blockage and fight to find a way to step away from the numbing pain to seek another new beginning. 

Aerial shot of a group of writers sitting a table with their laptops, notepads, clipboard and drinks during a session.

The more you allow yourself to write without restraint, you’ll find the ideas flowing more freely. Eventually, you’ll find your creative groove and hopefully move away from being a reluctant writer to a productive one! Just know that we’ve all been there and if you ever need a positive push, my inbox is always open! Signing off from the trenches, I’m manifesting great writing sessions and envisioning everyone finding your voice and creating some amazing stories to inspire the next generation of reluctant readers and writers! 

Diversity in MG Lit #52 March & April 2025

I will start this month’s diverse books round up with two graphic novels who have some things in common. Both are great examples of the diverse friend group story. They used to be rare but now diverse friend groups are the norm in MG fiction. It also belongs to a growing category of diverse books in which the diversity of the characters is not the central plot of the story. And finally, both of these books highlight anxiety which is a dramatically growing problem for children of all ages. The graphic novels are The Cartoonist Club by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud and Speechless by Aron Nels Steinke, both from Scholastic Graphix.
book cover The Cartoonist ClubThe Cartoonist Club is about a group of middle school kids who form a cartoon making club. Along the way they learn a lot about the craft of making comics from the fairly simple, how to cut and fold and 8 page zine, to the more challenging, how to make an infinite number of facial expressions by combining 6 core emotions.
book cover SpeechlessSpeechless is also a school based story about a girl who is so affected by her anxiety that she cannot speak aloud at school. Mira, the hero of Steinke’s graphic novel uses stop motion animation to express herself creatively and that medium of speaking through animation forms the spark of learning how to use her own voice.
book cover whale eyesThough it is not a graphic novel, Whale Eyes by James Robinson is a visually interesting and intimate look at what it is like to have a visual disability as a child. It’s fascinating and thoughtful, based on the Emmy Award winning film created by the author. Books on visual impairment are few and far between. Glad to have such a high quality option for young readers.

book cover Opal Watson

Opal Watson Private Eye by Brittany J Thurman is based on the Opal Watson podcast. Twelve year old Opal solves mysteries in her Chicago apartment building. Her voice is infectious and the mysteries reveal some aspects of her family history.

I love seeing more illustrated books in MG fiction. Afia in the Land of Wonders by Mia Araujo is a fresh spin on Alice in Wonderland. Afia meets a shapeshifter who takes her to a book cover Afia in the Land of Wondersmagical world which at first seems too good to be true, but in the end forces her to be true to herself and face her deepest fears. This is a debut from an author/illustrator I hope to see much more from.
The books I’ve reviewed here are strongly influenced by the ARCs that come to me at the bookstore. They are far from the only diverse books published in the last two months so if you have a favorite I missed, please mention it in the comments.