Writer's Challenge: Stepping out of Your Comfort Zone

Please welcome Author Pam Johnson, who is a creative writing instructor. She's here to tell authors how to get out of their comfort zone.

Welcome.

For some time now, you have been a writer. Perhaps you are producing publications for a magazine, or maybe you write for yourself in a journal at home. Whatever the case may be, you've really been wanting to challenge yourself. How can you get out of your comfort zone?

Play with Forms
If you went to high school in the United States, you were probably introduced to that typical five paragraph form at some point during your course of study. However, now is the time to start breaking away from this traditional. Of course, the five paragraph structure is a really helpful way to get started with writing. Still though, once you have a solid grasp on the rules, you can start to break them. 

Different Writing Styles
While you are working on letting go of that traditional format, you should also look into different styles of writing. For example, if you are a person who traditionally writes prose, then it is time to give poetry a try. Of course, you might find that you do not like that style, but at least you will have given it a try. The other possibility is that you will really love it, and you will now have a new avenue through which to express your thoughts, hopes, dreams and wonderful stories.

Various Subjects
At the current time, you might write strictly on only one or two subjects. In order to know if you have an appreciation for other fields, you have to at least give them a try. Right now, start working on a project that covers a topic in which you have some moderate sort of interest. Through researching information for the project, you may find a whole new fascinating world of which you never before knew. By trying out different subjects, you are certainly opening the door for your imagination. On top of that, you are broadening your field of expertise and making yourself more marketable as a professional writer. 

Professional Writer
When you read the words "professional writer," you had to stop and pause for a moment. Perhaps you have never delved into the field of writing as a side job or even a career. If you have not, then you really need to give it a try. You can find out if any of the local newspapers are hiring, and you can start to work on producing some online content. While you are engaging in these endeavors, you still want to explore your personal pursuits. By gaining a sense of what the professional writing world wants, you might be one step closer to finally completing that novel you've been working on for years. Writers should always be challenging themselves. In the world of writing, so many possibilities and creative outlets exist, and you do not want to wind up missing any of them. Today is the day to start breaking away from your comfort zone and exploring all of the excellent opportunities that await you in this vast world.

Author Pam Johnson is a professor of creative writing who tries to help her students combat writers block on a regular basis. She is a contributing writer for the Master of Arts in Teaching Guide.