Have you ever felt like the time you spend waiting could be used for something more productive? Maybe you’re on hold, maybe you’re at the doctor’s office and you’ve made a list of 20 other things you could be doing at that moment. Or maybe you’re stuck in traffic and about to lose your mind because of it. We’ve all been there. Instead of focusing on what could happen if you weren’t waiting, why not turn those seemingly endless minutes into a short story or an idea to jot down later?
I’m sure we can all agree that the hardest part of writing is starting to write. In my experience, more time is spent daydreaming about stories than actually writing them. It doesn’t make you any less of a writer if you haven’t found the time to write down the ideas in your head. In fact, the more time you spend thinking about stories, the more ideas you have when you do find the time to write them down. Here are a couple of prompts that you can use to spark creativity:
- Think of your favorite type of music, art, and writing. Now write a character who hates each of your favorite things with a passion.
- Look at whoever’s standing/sitting next to you. Imagine they have a personal stylist who dresses them every day. Write the stylist’s inspiration for today’s look.
- Describe your favorite color without using color at all
- Write a slam poem about how it feels to stub your toe
- Write about your first breakup from your mom’s perspective
These are only a few ideas that might spark creativity and keep you occupied until your wait time is over. The best part about writing is that you don’t always need to physically write something to create something. In my experience, my best ideas come when I’m supposed to be focused on something else and don’t have access to a notebook or my computer to jot them down. These sit in my head until I can get them on paper, but the longer they wait, the more fleshed-out the idea becomes. Sometimes, the best inspiration comes when we least expect it, so don’t be afraid to indulge in your creative side in your free time. Remember, you’re never wasting time if you’re creating.