This year, NaNoWriMo was founded on the principle that the only real barrier to entry for writers is the fear of trying something new. This year’s theme, Spacebattles, encourages participants to come up with creative ways to interact with and utilise space, whether that’s through books, games, or art installations. While the focus is on writing, everything from sculpture to drawing could be considered “writing in space” and so much more!
The best part of this theme is that it isn’t tied to a specific discipline. You don’t have to be a fantastic writer to participate; in fact, the reverse is true. Participants are encouraged to pick a medium they’re comfortable with and confident in, and to use it to explore the theme of Spacebattles.
Let’s dive deeper into how you can use writing to explore space, and how we got here in the first place.
Introduction To Creative Writing And Why It Works
Creative writing is all around us. From Snapchat filters to Twitter streams, we’re constantly inundated with stories, jokes, and snippets of prose. As an art form, it’s been around for centuries and continues to gain popularity today as never before.
Since its inception, creative writing has been considered a hobby for the elite, something you do when you have free time. The barrier to entry is high: it typically involves sitting down with a blank piece of paper or digital canvas and just letting your mind go wild. In most cases, you’ll be asked to put your thoughts into a fictional narrative, but that’s a flexible requirement.
What makes creative writing special is that it allows you to explore different sides of yourself and how you experience the world around you. You don’t have to be limited to one genre or one theme; you can take creative writing in any direction you choose. As long as you have a good story to tell, the world is your oyster! Most importantly, unlike with most other forms of art, the feedback you get from your audience is instantaneous and completely unique to each individual story. For these reasons, writing is a form of self-expression that is both safe and rewarding.
How Can I Use Creative Writing To Explore Space?
As previously mentioned, since the inception of creative writing, it has mainly been considered a hobby for the elite. That’s changed now, especially with the advent of online creative writing courses. With a little guidance and some inspiration from recognized experts, even complete beginners can have fun and interesting stories to tell!
Here’s a space-themed story idea that you might like to try out: A young woman named Katie is looking for adventure and challenges in space after having spent many years studying the subject. Following a close friend’s advice, she applies for a job as a scientist of some kind on a recently completed astrobiology mission. What happens next is entirely up to you!
This is a story idea that could be told in many different ways. For example, you could have a male protagonist named Will who is friends with Katie and encourages her to follow her dreams. Or, if you’re an adventurous individual who has always wanted to travel in space, this could be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for!
Where Can I Find Inspiration For My Story?
There are hundreds of places online where you can find inspiration for your fiction. Online communities such as GrowAWriter and CreativeMornings are a great starting point for any writer, particularly if you’re looking for inspiration about space. In addition to providing a place for writers to share their work, these communities offer hints, tips, and tricks for making your fiction as authentic as possible. In the words of Ernest Hemingway, “The best way to write is really simply; keep your ears open and your eyes open.” He was right! Using these tools and resources will help you get there faster than you would otherwise be able to.
A Word On Thematic Writing
One of the most appealing things about the Spacebattles theme is that it encourages participants to come up with creative ways to explore space. While a large number of story ideas fall under the umbrella of astrobiology, the theme also includes literature, film, and whatever else comes to mind when you consider space in general.
If you’re the type of person who likes to write the same story over and over again, using the same or a similar premise, this is the year to do it! NaNoWriMo is a great place to do this, as the only real requirement for entering the competition is that you must have a story to tell. Once you’ve written your story, all you have to do is edit it and add some flashy graphics to make it stand out!
If, however, you’re the type of person who enjoys exploring different worlds and seeing what happens next, using the same or similar tools to put your thoughts into prose can result in some pretty boring reading. You may, therefore, want to consider writing a series of short stories which explore a single central issue or concept, such as artificial intelligence, time travel, or alien invasions. Since each short story can be published independently and anonymously, you have the potential to reach a larger audience than you would if you wrote for a general audience.
Making A Guide To The Best Places To Find Story Ideas
If you’re really determined to make the most of your writing skills and apply them to create something new, how do you begin? The answer is simple: make a guide! As you’re probably aware, making a guide is a simple, yet effective, way of gaining inspiration for fiction. Simply research the places you frequent online, whether that’s Twitter, Reddit, or other platforms, and begin compiling a list of story ideas you come across.
You can also include places you visit in real life, such as museums or historical sites, as well as places you find interesting or memorable, such as restaurants, cafes, or hotels! It’s important to keep in mind that this list should be personal to you; make a note of places you find inspiring or where you have compelling stories to reveal! Keep a spreadsheet of your ideas or use a tool like TikTok to make it easy to keep track of them all! As you add new ideas to the list, you can rearrange the order to reflect the order of importance or simply remove ideas you’ve done or said you’ll never do.
One of the best things about a guide to story ideas is that it can evolve as you go along and add more suggestions as you become more familiar with the craft. While you may think you have all the necessary knowledge at the beginning, the truth is that this is never truly the case. As you develop your skills and experience, your story ideas will change and evolve, too!
If you’ve been considering creative writing as a hobby or as a way of expressing yourself, perhaps it’s time you reconsidered and saw it for what it really is: an art form! With the right tools and inspiration, even a complete beginner can have fun and interesting stories to tell, and maybe even win a prize!