I’ve been seriously considering getting back into writing for fun, but honestly have no idea on where to start. i have a surprisingly high number of moots on here who are authors, so i figure it’s worth asking does anyone have any advice on getting back into writing after a long absence? 🧵 - ThreadSky

kira-shines.bsky.social • 19 days ago

I’ve been seriously considering getting back into writing for fun, but honestly have no idea on where to start. i have a surprisingly high number of moots on here who are authors, so i figure it’s worth asking does anyone have any advice on getting back into writing after a long absence? 🧵

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kira-shines.bsky.social•19 days ago

part of my issue is that i did technical writing for work for 20+ years and i worry that it stripped all the creativity i used to have from my writing. in technical writing everything is very controlled and formulaic and there’s rules for everything from tense to voice.

kira-shines.bsky.social•19 days ago

now when i try to write i find myself overthinking and planning every aspect to the point that i never can get started and tbh it’s just not fun.

kira-shines.bsky.social•19 days ago

i’m honestly just looking for any advice on how to get back into writing after a break, tips for dealing with writer’s block, or anything you’re willing to share about your own process that helps you get into the right mindset to write.

kira-shines.bsky.social•19 days ago

i used to be able to create elaborate worlds and get lost in my imagination writing them. i really miss that. i feel like it’s in there somewhere still, i just don’t know how to coax it out.

ogruddawg.bsky.social•19 days ago

I wonder if trying something like haikus or shorter-form poetry might help get the creative juices flowing again?

Technical writing is very formulaic and structured. Haikus have a rigid structure but are short and on the creative side.

kira-shines.bsky.social•19 days ago

thanks! i like this idea, i’ve never been good at poetry but doing things like haiku or some structured writing prompts might help bridge that mental gap again

kiraleigh.bsky.social•19 days ago

Do you listen to music when you write? It helps me with pacing, tone and vibes. Maybe try playing a song that relates to your writing ideas while you write. I know music always helps me.

kira-shines.bsky.social•19 days ago

i haven’t been, but i really should. when i used to do tech writing, i found certain instrumental music really got me into a productive writing mindset. i’ve also discovered, forgot, and rediscovered so many times in my life that my brain works best when listening to music.

kira-shines.bsky.social•19 days ago

the tricky part is figuring out what music i need for any given situation. my adhd makes it hard to write when other people are talking nearby. the same goes for most music with lyrics, unless it’s something i know so well that the lyrics kinda disappear. i’m going to give this a try!

kiraleigh.bsky.social•18 days ago

Kudos! I hope it helps :)

aubreyjones.bsky.social•2 days ago

I didn't write for a long time, since I dropped out of screenwriting school a lifetime ago. What has let me write again, and actually finish work, is not thinking even a little bit about the market or writing techniques or plot arcs or story structure. I just sit down and fantasize on the page.

kira-shines.bsky.social•2 days ago

Thanks, Aubrey. That’s really good advice! I think the next time I get in the right mindset for writing i’ll just start putting thoughts down and edit them later into something more coherent. It’s not that different from how I approach writing for work or other similar things

aubreyjones.bsky.social•2 days ago

And then I edit.

zoeyhedman.bsky.social•19 days ago

I think a good place to start might be picking a genre and a single story element or detail, and then expand outwards from that very small starting place, to see whether or not you end up vibing with your own idea. If not, you can always just pick something else and try again.

kira-shines.bsky.social•19 days ago

Thanks, Zoey! that’s really good advice. i have a lot of seeds for story ideas so i might just see where each can take me and when i get stuck, try one of the others. eventually something will have enough potential that i can grow it into something bigger.

hollychessman.bsky.social•17 days ago

I bought a book called “642 Things to Write About”. It’s probably meant for kids but I found it helpful. It gave me prompts and a little bit of space so I could write a small paragraph only or I could write on a separate page if I felt inspired. It was a low pressure way to get the gears moving.

kira-shines.bsky.social•17 days ago

thank you, i will check that out!

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