E = Energy Levels

I’ve found creative writing happens best when your energy levels are high. Your mind seems more capable of making those creative leaps and getting the flow happening in your writing when you are well rested and feeling energetic.

When your energy levels are low, it’s much more difficult to find the right words to write and you’re likely to waste time simply staring at the blank computer screen and wondering how to start.

Every creative writer has times when this happens and it is often difficult to break out of the mental fugue.

This is why paying attention to your energy levels at different times of the day can really help your creative writing. Physically, whenever your body has energy to spare, the mind has a better capacity to focus.

It’s a commonly recognized fact that children who skip breakfast have less energy to draw on than their fellow students and are likely to do far worse in scholastic achievements. Why? Their concentration span is reduced and they find it difficult to focus on anything for a long period of time.

As adults, we often forget that our bodies work the same way. If our energy level is high, our writing will be sharper, flow better and will be more creative. Some tips you can consider are:

• Energy levels do change throughout the day and having small, but frequent breaks is often a way writers use to increase their energy levels to continue writing.

• Understanding that energy levels can change throughout the day will help you to recognize the patterns, work when you are most alert and not to beat yourself up when your energy levels are reduced. It could just mean you need a break to get re-energised.

• Pay attention to when you are more alert in the day. Most people feel more alert in the morning and will write better and more creatively earlier on in the day. Setting up a routine of writing when you are physically more alert will help you to increase your productivity generally.

• Starting the day with some mental exercises can also help you to get the creative juices flowing and help you to feel energized and focused on your task when you start to write. There are a number of word related games that help to increase a writer’s vocabulary that are great energizers, both at the start of the day and when you need a mental break throughout your day.

• A good trick is to give yourself a five minute break as a reward whenever you finish a page, a chapter or reach a milestone in your writing. This will help you to come back to your writing with a fresh mind.

• Eating or drinking something increases blood sugar levels and give your body the boost of energetic metabolism, which aids concentration.

• Sometimes, you will need to take a much longer break in order to refresh the mind and body and increase those energy levels again. Going for a walk not only gives you fresh air, but any exercise increases the body’s metabolism, gets blood flowing faster and therefore increases the blood flow and oxygen levels in the brain. When you return from your walk, you are likely to have a clear mind and be able to approach your writing in a different way.

• One of the best things any writer can do for their energy levels is to make sure that they sleep well, exercise regularly and eat proper meals. Healthy bodies really do make healthy minds and when your livelihood depends on your creativity in your writing, it is well worth the effort to ensure you are in top condition and feeling energized when you write.

What do you do to keep your energy levels up?