It is no secret that technical writing jobs pay well. Many freelance writers slowly slip into the technical writing sphere and get stuck. The jobs are plenty and the pay is good, and as a writer this stability is appealing. Other freelance jobs that seem to pay well are those connected with a specific company. For example, I used to write for a credit card website, so naturally my writing was centered on credit card tips and advice. There used to be a time when I would try and play around with my sentence structures and get fancy with metaphors, but the longer I wrote a certain way the less and less I felt the need to be creative.
As it turns out, many writers fall into this same rut. If you work as a technical writer or work with specific guidelines from a company, it is very easy to lose sight of the passion that brought you to writing in the first place. Granted some people may have fallen in love with technical writing, but most writers have passions aside from those that are “useful” in the business sector.
Fortunately, there are ways to get this passion back. If you were once a creative writer and feel like you have lost that spark, consider some of these tactics to get your creativity flowing:
How to Bring Back Your Passion for Writing
Everyone experiences a loss of motivation for different reasons. Whether you don’t write because you’re simply tired or you don’t write because technical writing is so far engrained in your mind, there are a few different things you can try:
- Read – Reading anything from easy to read novels to your favorite short story might help bring back your excitement about writing. You do not need to read with the purpose of finding a voice or analyzing sentence structures, but rather just read to get new words in to your head.
- Exercise – Although many people think they have lost this passion because they are so used to another type of writing, this isn’t always the case. Simply the act of writing is tough on a person. It can be extremely difficult to write all day long. You may have lost your passion for creative writing simply because you are too tired from your job to sit down at a computer any longer. Try exercising and making time for friends so you don’t feel so burnt out at the end of the week.
- Start Typing – On the other end of the spectrum, you may want to try sitting down and writing whatever pops into your head. It might take some getting used to, but for some this is a relaxing activity. If you’re someone who isn’t bothered by sitting at a computer all day, then you can use writing as a form of stress release. Try and write someone fun and you might be surprised just how fast that passion returns.
Some people may have to make a conscious effort to bring back that spark that a job like technical writing has taken away. Just as with anything, it may be hard at first. If you used to love working out and haven’t done it in a while, it’s going to be hard. If you used to love staying home with the kids but have been working for a while, it’s going to take some getting used to again. Just remember that no matter how difficult it may seem, working to get that passion back for the writing you once loved is worth it.
Have you ever lost your passion for creative writing? What did you do to get it back?
Photo Credit: exponentialtraining.com
Amanda DiSilvestro is a writer on topics ranging from social media to VoIP phone service. She writes for an online resource that gives advice on topics including phone systems to small businesses and entrepreneurs for the leading business directory, Business.com.
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