Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Truth is, it’s simpler than you think.
I assure you, this is an actual thing. At one point or another, as writers, we’ve all stared at a computer screen or blank page only to realize our writing doesn’t want to come out today. We’ve done it more times than we care to count.
However, at the expense of sounding like a used car salesman, not only can I guarantee that you’ll never run out of writing ideas, but I promise that if you do what I’ll be discussing in this post, you’ll truly never run out of things to write about. Ever again.
A bold claim, so let’s dig in.
Follow your passion?
Most people have heard others say, “follow your passion.” For the longest time, I’ve been a big fan of following your passion. Often it’s the driving force, almost like the fuel that keeps your creative flames alive. Without it, what’s the point? Besides, you need passion to keep you going through the tough times, right?
Passion is a form of intense enthusiasm or love for something. And while there is plenty of truth and good intentions behind it, following your passion sometimes just doesn’t cut it. You can have a passion for anything, ice cream, video games, cats, or even writing, but that alone isn’t enough to give your creative flame a reason to burn as bright as it can.
Follow your curiosity?
Instead, I believe that following your curiosity makes much more sense, feels better creatively, and is a more effective way to never run out of writing ideas.
Again, there is nothing wrong with having a passion for something. In fact, I highly encourage it, keep it burning inside you. Just remember, you need curiosity to guide it, otherwise it’s like being a cat lover and only ever seeing the little critters through the glass window at a pet store or animal shelter. But what if you followed your curiosity and actually brought one home?
It’s all about the questions
Many people have been able to use their passion to find success in their writing, artwork, or in other areas of their lives. However, this leaves some of us running around without a particular path to follow. This may end up leading us somewhere we don’t want to be creatively.
Following your curiosity gets you asking questions. It’s like following a small trail of jelly beans. It makes you curious. Who left them? Where do they lead? Why were they put there? Why jelly beans?
The more you ask, the more your imagination expands. The more your imagination expands, the more ideas you’ll feel bubbling up to the surface.
Have you ever randomly got an idea in the shower, while out on a jog through a park, walking your dog, at a cafe, museum, or at a concert? Wherever and however it happens, that little seedling might actually lead you to your next great writing idea.
Follow your curiosity and I promise that you’ll never run out of writing ideas. Whether those writing ideas will be any good is a whole other matter, but you’ll never really know unless you follow that seed, tug on that string, or catch a whiff of that scent and follow it.
How do you know which ideas to follow?
Have you ever randomly got an idea for something that just seemed a bit off? Or made you feel weird? Or gave you goosebumps? Not necessarily in a bad way, but just a small tingle in your body? Maybe something that made you raise an eyebrow?
Do yourself a favor and follow that feeling. Sometimes it’s a gut feeling. Sometimes it’s a little invisible tap on the shoulder or a chill that runs down your spine. Regardless of how it manifests, that feeling is trying to tell you something. It might be a sign for you to follow.
Another thing to note is to make sure you follow your curiosity in a way that feels right to you. It’s hard to go wrong this way. It’s your curiosity that will lead you down paths worth pursuing. If it makes you curious and are being pulled toward something, then you’ll know that you’re on the right path. Do this and I can guarantee you’ll never run out of writing ideas ever again. Do it honestly, faithfully, and consistently and the writing world is yours.
What about A.I. tools?
Even with the rise of artificial intelligence, writers can still follow their curiosity to expand prompting tools. These tools are here to serve us, not the other way around.
As creatives, I strongly believe that one of our purposes in life is to put forth our own creative work. Curiosity is one of our cornerstones, regardless of the tools we use. So, be playful. Be that 8-year-old kid again. Be that animal lover or whatever your thing is. Follow your curiosity and let your imagination run wild. It will only serve you and your readers.
Curiosity killed the cat?
One example of what this all might look like: Let’s say you’re a fiction writer who’s been having a dry spell. You try to write, but for whatever reason, it’s a struggle. Nothing wants to come out. Now let’s say you’re a big animal lover and have always wondered what it would be like to have a cat. Out of curiosity, you decide to look up a few cat videos. In one video, you see someone dress up a cat in a superhero costume. (Cute, eh? Haha.) Then your imagination kicks in. What if the cat in the superhero costume were to turn into an actual superhero and fly out the window to fight crime? Thus enters your next great cat superhero novel or short-story. And all you did was follow a simple thread of curiosity.
This was of course a (somewhat) silly (and furry) example, but it gets the point across that curiosity can be one of the biggest and simplest tools in your arsenal not only as a writer, but in your life as a creative.
One little idea that raises your eyebrow could lead to several, maybe even dozens, of little ideas, which could lead to your next big idea or ideas. You never know until you try. Just follow it one thread at-a-time. Keep pulling that string until you’ve reached the end. You might even find that it’s endless. Either way, just keep going. Let the ideas spill out of you.
Be curious. It’s kind of like being a kid all over again. Reignite that playful curiosity. Let it fuel you. Keep asking questions. Keep following your curiosity. And I promise you’ll never run out of ideas to write about, ever again.
Curiosity may kill the cat, but it fuels the writer.
Jeff Aybar is a writer, writing & creativity coach, Sci-Fi/Fantasy nerd, INFJ, veteran, and lover of all things creative. You can get a free copy of his guide for writers and artists on starting the creative journey by signing up to his newsletter HERE.