We writers often stay in our own wheelhouse, our comfort zone. We stick with topics that allow us the ease and knowledge to keep money flowing in. Therefore, the articles and essays we write often come from the wealth of information we’ve gathered over the years.

But what happens when creativity for those same topics stops? What if you’re bored with your writing? That happened to me last year. I would start writing an article and then stop. I’d start an essay then put it aside. Nothing I wrote excited me, and I knew if I wasn’t excited, no one else would be. Since my income depends upon my ability to write, I came up with a five-week game plan that helped me break out of the rut.

Step One

Since I’m a subscriber to FundsforWriters, I challenged myself to write for one market in each week’s newsletter even if it was something I didn’t normally write about. I read the guidelines, did some research, and jumped in. Soon, I found myself looking forward to the weekly newsletters even more. Recently, I wrote and pitched to Insider Freelance about grocery shopping!

Step Two

Then, I wrote out a list of topics I was even the slightest bit familiar with and picked one at random and began to write. This wasn’t about creating something publishable, although that turned into my end goal. It was about stretching my writing muscles and seeing what made me look forward to writing again. I wrote a short story that ended up being a finalist in a writing competition. (https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php)

Step Three

Next I chose a topic I’d never written about and knew next to nothing about. I needed encouragement to learn. With a new topic, I had to read, watch videos, and learn as much as I could about the subject I’d chosen. I didn’t become an expert, but the exercise opened up new possibilities for me, and I now have an article under submission with AARP Magazine.  (https://www.aarp.org/about-aarp/info-05-2010/writers-guidelines-aarp-magazine.html)

Step Four

I also turned an eye toward my hobbies and decided to challenge myself to write an article that would entice others to take an interest. This would work especially well with a niche hobby like archery or geocaching. One of mine is studying history, and I submitted an article about why I think it’s both fascinating and important to History Today Magazine. (https://www.historytoday.com/submissions)

Step Five

Finally, I decided to veer way off track. I wrote a letter to my state senator, someone with opposing views from mine. Writing a convincing argument proved to be a difficult challenge, but, in this instance, I was writing about something I believed in. The letter won’t necessarily bring in income, but it allowed me to talk about a cause that was close to my heart, which felt freeing.

At the end of my five-week strategy, I’d written and pitched an essay about a family secret, an article about surviving Facebook, an essay about my first love, and a devotional for an online magazine, which did end up getting rejected. I ended the year with 65 submissions, not including manuscripts.

The plan gave me a new love for writing, and I realized that I didn’t have to stick with the same topics I’d covered for years. I’d discovered limitless possibilities, and I’ve continued to utilize these steps.

As writers, we don’t have to be chained to one subject. We can explore, learn, and challenge ourselves to add more topics to our portfolio that will help our careers and open new doors.

BIO
Rachel Carrington has written hundreds of articles and essays for various publishers, including the New York Times, The Writer, FundsforWriters, and Writers Weekly. Follow her on Twitter/X @rcarrington2004.