Are you writing for work or for pleasure? Hopefully you’ll say both. When it’s all work and no play your writing, or desire for it, will slowly suffer.

When I was in college for professional communications I had a heavy workload while learning all types of prose including corporate, technical, creative, magazine and screenwriting. Each specialty had its rules and formats. The more I wrote for my assignments, the more I was losing my love for writing and my love for writing was what got me there in the first place.

Then I got an instructor, Ms B, and she let us loose and encouraged the class to play with words and break the rules we were learning with other instructors. Her assignments were actually fun and I remembered that writing is fun.

Most of us writers start our careers because we love to write. We love words, love to express ourselves and new ideas. Then we become busy with stringing words together for a living. The love slowly fades and we focus on reaching a certain word count, following a company style guide or meeting a deadline. In time our love affair can slowly turn into obligatory relationship.

How can writers keep the spark alive?

1. Journaling and blogging are both great ways express your own voice. In these avenues, you are free to write however you want for yourself.

2. Tackle that dream project – you know the one. It’s the novel, screenplay or memoir that you dream of writing but never have the time for. Make the time to write it and soon you’ll see your dream taking form.

3. Write letters by hand. Try shutting off the computer and write some old-school letters to a friend or lover. No one says you have to mail them, but just see if connecting your pen to paper and writing to someone close to you changes your perspective.

4. Write a children’s book as a gift for a little one in your life. What kid wouldn’t love a book about them, their family or favorite animal?

5. Help a friend who needs your wordsmith expertise for their resume, website or other project. Their appreciation for your talents may help you revalue your own skills.

6. Take a writing course or workshop. Many community colleges offer weekend or night classes to the public. Plus there are many online writing courses you can sign up with to learn something new. Who knows what inspiration you’ll find in a roomful of creative people?

7. Reread a favorite book or article. While you are reminiscing about the beginning of your love affair with writing, those feelings may stir you again.

8. Take a break. If you feel you are drying up creatively, try removing yourself from all writing for a time and do something physical to give your creative muscles time to recharge.

It’s great to make money from your writing, but it’s even greater to continue to have a love for it in the first place. When you enjoy writing, you’ll have that passionate spark when you sit down to do some serious business – and that’s another topic all together.

To find out more about the business of writing and how to make an income from article marketing, visit http://www.writingtoriches.info

About Connie G Giesbrecht

I am the owner of “Writing to Riches”. Me and my team of talented writers offer great advice and tips to help anyone write and have fun while doing it. You will find that your articles and blogs will be easier and make more sense than you ever thought you would.