30 Ways to Fill Your Creative Tank

We all eventually feel bereft of ideas. Life becomes routine at times and that may seep into our writing. So what can you do about it? You don't necessarily need to do anything drastic. Simply switching up your daily routine or trying new things may be all your creative self needs. I've listed 30 ideas that may help you escape from routine writing.

1. Visit an art museum.
2. Take a walk (or run).
3. Learn to cook or bake something new.
4. Read a book that's an unusual choice for you.
5. Take a different route to a familiar place (like work or school).
6. Rearrange or redecorate one room in your house.
7. Take a day trip to a place you've never been before.
8. Drop everything and do something completely frivolous.
9. Watch a TV show or movie on a subject you know nothing about.
10. Get together with a friend (or friends) you don't know as well.
11. Eat something you've never had before.
12. Do your morning or night routine backwards.
13. Listen to a radio station that plays music you don't normally listen to.
14. Learn some basic words in a different language.
15. Do one routine errand at a different location.
16. Play a sport or game (if this is routine, play one you've never tried).
17. Watch a movie or TV show you have no interest in (you might be surprised!).
18. Eat lunch or dinner somewhere new.
19. Learn one new word and use it as much as possible.
20. Do a crossword or word find (if that's normal, go for riddles or sudoku).
21. Research a mythical or legendery character you don't know the history of.
22. Pick up your favorite magazine that's unrelated to writing or work (I love Fitness and InStyle).
23. Try a new flavor of coffee.
24. Play with your cat or dog (or with someone else's cat or dog).
25. Indulge in a guilty pleasure.
26. Go outside - to the park, the beach, a sidewalk cafe.
27. Do one thing you've had on your list for ages.
28. Pick an activity that interests you and learn how to do it.
29. Ride a bike.
30. Go to a concert or another live performance.

Those are my 30 ideas for rejuvenating your life and writing. What are your ideas?

Writing Prompt

Imagine an ice skating rink that appears in your backyard every night, regardless of the season, then disappears at dawn. Write about when you discovered it and what happened next.

Writing Prompt

In 300-500 words, write about a young gymnast representing her country in the Olympics. What is her life like behind-the-scenes? What does she think and feel? How does she act once the cameras are gone?