Polymnia Blues

To help stimulate creativity, consider using these psychology hacks whenever you’re stuck

• Character Mind Mapping:
  • Create a mind map for your characters, exploring their motivations, fears, desires, and past experiences. This can provide insights into their psychological makeup.
• Write a Letter from Your Character:
  • Have your character write a letter to another character, expressing their thoughts, emotions, and inner conflicts.
• Stream of Consciousness Writing:
  • Set a timer and write without stopping or censoring yourself. This exercise can reveal subconscious thoughts and ideas.

• Explore Unresolved Trauma:
  • Write a scene where your character confronts or deals with unresolved trauma from their past. This can add depth to their backstory.
• Personality Tests for Characters:
  • Have your characters take personality tests like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or the Enneagram. Use the results to understand their behaviors and reactions.
• Incorporate Dreams:
  • Write a scene or incorporate dream sequences into your story. Dreams can provide a glimpse into a character’s subconscious mind.

• Write from Different Perspectives:
  • Rewrite a scene from your story from the perspective of another character. This can reveal different interpretations and emotions.
• Create a Character Journal:
  • Have your characters keep a journal where they write about their daily experiences, thoughts, and emotions. This can help you understand their internal world.
• Use Writing Prompts:
  • Explore writing prompts that specifically focus on psychological themes. For example, prompts that delve into fears, regrets, or moments of self-discovery.

• Experiment with Point of View:
  • Write a scene from multiple characters’ perspectives, including their internal thoughts and reactions. Compare how each character experiences the same event.
• Dialogue Analysis:
  • Analyze the dialogue in your story. Does it reveal hidden tensions or unspoken conflicts between characters? Adjust the dialogue to enhance psychological depth.
• Create Character Playlists:
  • Curate playlists that represent the musical tastes of your characters. Music can be a powerful tool to tap into emotional and psychological states.

• Explore Character Flaws:
  • Write a scene where your character’s flaws are brought to the forefront. How do they react when confronted with their imperfections?
• Collaborative Writing:
  • Collaborate with another writer. Each of you can write a character’s internal monologue during a specific scene, providing different psychological perspectives.