Multiple Projects Can Help: A Little Something On The Writing Side

Some of us write for fun. Some of us write for pay. Some of us write, because it keeps the cost of prescription medication at bay. Whatever the reason, we write.

I used to write a lot of body copy, the bit that goes at the bottom of an ad. It usually included terms and conditions and a blurb about the company or product. After a while, everything I wrote turned into body copy. I could say everything I wanted to in three to five lines and end it with a pay off line. You could almost hear the jingle in the background.

I once taught an ex-journalist who had the similar problem. After a few years of writing a weekly, 750-word column she found it difficult to write more. She would write a piece, be it a short story or a writing prompt and end on exactly 750 words.

Not all writing habits are good.

Writing becomes a habit and that is a good thing. But we should guard against falling into a rut. If you write press releases or reports I am sure you will find yourself following a set pattern and ending with a similar result each time. That is great for business writing and saves time, but for a creative writer it becomes dangerous.