Try Something New in Your Writing
Because you just might like it.
This is part of my “Art of Noticing” series, in which I learn, find, or discover the things around me that usually go unnoticed and turn them into an endless source of creative inspiration.
NOTE: The last of these “Noticings” blog posts will run on April 13th. I’m going to keep recording the 9-minute daily podcast on which these posts are based, though, so if you want to keep your dose of daily Noticings, be sure to subscribe to the Art of Noticing podcast here on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
(You could also listen here on Substack, but that’s a miserable way to listen to a podcast so I don’t recommend it. Do yourself a favor and use a podcast app so you can listen on your commute or at the gym or something.)
I’ve been playing guitar for about three years. Obsessively. I’ve probably put in ten years of time and effort because I play so much.
One of the first real songs in my repertoire once I figured it all out was “Last Dance With Mary Jane” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I’ve played it nearly since the start, but because I recently bought a 12-string guitar, I decided to try the same song on the new instrument to see what happened.
It was rad. Playing a 12-string can be like playing two synchronized guitars at the same time, separated by an octave. The song sounded unexpectedly great … which made me wonder what else, creatively, I’ve been missing out on because I haven’t tried to mix it up.
Here's how this "noticing" can influence my stories and art:
Diversifying Creative Instruments
Experimenting with different writing tools, software, writing styles, or even narrative voices are all things we as writers can do to shake things up. Just like the newer, bigger sound of my a 12-string guitar, each tool or method we try as writers can add unexpected new quirks to our work.
Changing the medium we work in (for instance, switching from writing short stories to novels) or trying a different genre (not a limit I’ve given my multi-genre self) can also bring a fresh perspective to our creative process. That kind of diversity can challenge us and open new avenues for self-expression.
Enhancing Stories Through Variation
Different guitars produce distinct sounds. Varying writing techniques makes new styles of writing. Why not try? Just see what happens.
Things to try: shifting point-of-view, experimenting with nonlinear timelines, and playing with different structures. You might produce an intriguing new experience for your readers, just like a new instrument changes a familiar song.
The one thing we don’t want is to stagnate. Varying our creative tools and approaches can prevent that. By being open to experimenting and embracing change, we can discover new possibilities … and readers will, too.
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