Last Updated on July 2, 2025 by Ellen
Here are some lesser-known but highly effective creative writing hacks that can help unlock originality, deepen character, and keep your prose razor-sharp.
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10 Underrated Creative Writing Hacks
Most writing advice repeats the same tired tips — “show, don’t tell,” “write every day,” “read more books.” Useful, sure, but not enough to break through creative ruts or elevate your storytelling. If you want to write with more edge, depth, and originality, you need smarter tools.
This post cuts through the noise with 10 underrated creative writing hacks that actually make a difference. These are the tricks pro writers use quietly, not because they’re secret, but because most people overlook them. Ready to level up your craft? Let’s go.
Write the Ending First
Knowing your destination shapes every choice you make along the way. Even if you revise it later, writing the last scene or paragraph early on can focus your tone, theme, and momentum.
Steal Sentence Structures, Not Ideas
Find a passage from a favorite writer. Strip out the content and plug your own into the same grammatical framework. It’s like borrowing a melody to write your own lyrics — it pushes you into new rhythms and sentence shapes.
Use a “Blind Rewrite
Write a scene or chapter. Then put it away. Without looking, rewrite it from memory. You’ll keep only what matters. This forces your brain to prioritize meaning over filler and often results in a tighter, more emotionally resonant draft.
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Character Voice Journals
Write a diary entry in your character’s voice — on a completely mundane topic. Grocery shopping. A bad dream. An annoying neighbor. You’ll unlock hidden aspects of their personality that make dialogue and decisions feel more authentic.
Flip the Emotion
Take a scene and rewrite it with the opposite emotional tone. A joyful wedding becomes tense. A scary night becomes absurd. It shows you what emotions are really driving the scene and helps prevent emotional flatlines.
Use Constraints to Break Free
Set odd limits: a story with no adjectives, a chapter with no dialogue, a scene where everything happens in reverse order. Constraints force creative problem-solving and often spark unexpected brilliance.
Describe Without Naming
Try writing an entire paragraph about an object, setting, or person without ever naming it directly. It makes you dig deeper for metaphors, sensory details, and implications — and trains your brain to *show* instead of tell.
RELATED: How to Simplify Your Writing
Cut 10% — No Exceptions
Once you finish a draft, cut 10% of the words. Every. Time. This brutal exercise reveals flab you didn’t know was there and makes your writing leaner and stronger.
Write the Scene You’re Dreading First
That emotional confrontation? That tricky fight scene? Tackle it right away while the nerves are raw. It’ll carry more energy and feel more authentic. Avoiding it usually means it’s the heart of the piece.
Change Mediums Mid-Draft
If you’ve been typing, switch to pen and paper. Or record yourself telling the story aloud. A change in medium alters your brain’s processing and often dislodges creative blocks or uncovers new phrasing.
Creative writing doesn’t thrive on talent alone — it’s shaped by the tools and tricks you use to outsmart blocks, sharpen your instincts, and push past the obvious. These lesser-known hacks aren’t just gimmicks; they’re creative pressure points that can unlock better ideas, tighter prose, and deeper stories. Pick one, try it, and watch what happens when you shake up your routine. Writing gets interesting when you stop playing safe.
Ellen is a serial entrepreneur who owns 9 profitable blogs, two printable stores, an online vintage jewelry business, and a variety of other work at home endeavors. She shares tips for working at home successfully.