Thinking creatively is central to the role of a writer – without it, our work would get stale pretty quickly. There will always be times when we feel less creative than usual, but there are some tricks we can make use of to help improve our creativity.

Don’t worry about not being an expert in something. You might have a great idea for a story, but be put off writing it because you don’t know a huge amount about the subject matter, which in turn makes you feel less creative about how you could approach it. Instead of seeing it as a hindrance, try and see it as a positive thing; as you’re not an expert, you can be more open-minded about how you approach the topic, and come at it from any angle you want. You can fill in any gaps later; for now, let your imagination go where it wants.
Don’t analyse while you’re creating. One of the things many writers do is to analyse their work as they’re writing it. There comes a point where this analytical ability is important, but when you’re in the act of writing a first draft – a time when you need to be creative – try and put it to one side. Don’t think about the logic of what you’re creating; just go with it and see where your mind takes you.
Don’t worry about failing. Fear of failure is common to writers, and it can leave us stifling our creativity in case we make a wrong decision. It’s hard to put fear of failing to one side, but if you can accept that not all of your ideas will pan out as you hoped – but equally, that some of them will work better than you ever dreamed they might – it will allow you to think more freely and, hopefully, creatively.
Be confident. In short, don’t worry about your creativity or lack of it. Be confident that you have the ability to be creative and come up with interesting ideas.
Don’t limit yourself. It can be tempting to limit yourself as a writer – however unconsciously – as you might think that only certain things will work with the story you’re trying to write. In doing this, you can end up shutting down good, creative ideas that could work because you’re so concerned about everything fitting together. Don’t worry – that can come later. For now, let your creativity go where it wants.

What are your tips for being more creative as a writer?