Doomscrolling can be so tempting, especially when there’s seemingly nothing else to do. But even when it seems like the only thing to cure your boredom is TikTok or Instagram Reels, there are other ways you can spend your time that are more rewarding. My favorite way to get myself to put down my phone is to write! But that poses the question: “What should I write?”
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The way of writing that I prefer the most is poetry. Especially when I’m feeling so many things at once, poetry helps explain things that I struggle to write out in other forms. So, from metaphors about the things going on in my life in that moment to heart-warming recollections of my favorite memories, poetry helps me immortalize my life.
I know that poetry is often disliked because school sometimes makes it seem like it’s an impossible literature type that you have to meticulously decipher, but when you start writing poetry for yourself, all of your past prejudices go away. After all, there are no more enigmatic symbols you have to decipher that seem to have no meaning. Because now, you write the symbols. And you know exactly what they mean.
For the nerdier bunch, essays can be fun too! There’s no rubric you’re forced to follow since you’re writing for yourself, and there’s no topic restraints either. Another plus is that an essay typically takes longer to write, so you’ll be entertained for longer.
And you’ll learn about whatever topic you choose in the process! There’s also the benefit that, if the writing is good enough, you could submit it to contests and win awards for your writing.
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If you’re more creative and like storytelling, writing fiction could be for you. From writing play scripts to short stories and even full novels, fiction has a large pool of creative options. You can create a whole world of characters and give them unique backstories.
Fiction lets you live out all of the lifetimes you wish you could live (or, sometimes, maybe ones you wouldn’t want to live, depending on the gruesomeness of the backstories). Fiction works tend to be some of the most rewarding, too, since when you can read your writing in full at the end, all of your hard work comes together before your eyes.
Take the Quiz: What Creative Hobby Should You Try?
Looking for a way to express your creativity but not sure where to start? Then this is the quiz for you!
How to Figure out What to Write About?
Start from a recent interaction that is unusually vibrant in your memory. Then, analyze the specific parts of that interaction that stood out to you. Then, write about a new interaction that includes the nuances (maybe lighting, or a feeling you remember, or a sentence that stuck out to you), but in a different context. It helps you be more creative since you have to consider things in a different light.
If you end up focusing more on recalling the memory, you can write a nostalgic poem. But the more creative you get regarding the story, the higher the potential to turn a past memory into a completely new work of fiction. Maybe the "why" behind a part of your memory spurs an idea for an essay as well. The possibilities are endless!
For nonfiction writing, you could think of something you’ve seen on the news, or maybe a niche interest you have. Writing about something you’re passionate about is key to creating a full work that you love. After all, if you don’t love what you’re writing about, you won’t love the product at the end.
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Takeaways
The most important thing to consider is that writing shouldn’t feel like a chore. But if you don’t want to write, that doesn’t automatically mean that you shouldn’t. That could mean you just haven’t thought of the right thing to write about yet.
Remember, writing is a process that takes time. Every word on the page is part of that process. And it’s okay if it might take a moment to be able to get that first word down.
Some days, you might write a poem, an essay, and a play. And some, you might only be able to write a short diary entry about your day's events. But ask yourself one thing: Would that time have been better spent doomscrolling on social media? And then, you’ll find you can be prouder of whatever you wrote, no matter how much or how little.
