Flexing Those Creative Muscles

Sometimes we get stuck in ruts as writers. Even when we're deep in edits on one book and writing out bits for the next, it's still helpful to step outside of all that. To flex our creative muscle. You never know where an idea will come from - and what it will lead to! That's the exciting part of being a writer, following those little idea fairies through the forest of our minds to see where exactly they will lead.

I'm taking a Fiction Writing Class through Gotham. Part of the reason for taking it was to workshop my current book. But the other part was to continue to learn, to hone my craft (to be cliché), to be creative outside of my current projects.

Each week, we have different homework assignments. They have been fun. They have been frustrating (because, hey, I'm a writer...which means I'm an overthinker - is this what she wanted for the assignment or was it more of this?...and it means I'm insecure about what I'm writing, especially outside of the current book).

I'm doing this!

via GIPHY


But really it feels more like I'm doing this sometimes.

via GIPHY


It can be frustrating. But it has also been a lot of fun. I definitely recommend Gotham Writers if anyone is considering an online workshop. My instructor has been amazing, engaging, inspiring, and her critiques on both my chapters and my weekly assignments has been invaluable.

There is nothing like flexing that creativity in a safe environment, is there?

What about you - have you ever done a workshop? If so, which one(s) and would you recommend them to others?