When you give space to your creative writing life, inspiration comes from everywhere. You follow creative writer blogs, look for novel writing tips in a Google search or browse Pinterest pins to inspire your writing space. There are so many writers out there who share their tips on how to write a novel. Still, only a handful of them talk about what it takes to develop a creative lifestyle. So, to give you a nudge in the right direction, I’m sharing six blogs that I believe will help you not only to be a better writer but also to build a life of creative freedom that allows you to do what you love most.
1. The Creative Penn by Joanna Penn
Focus: Writing, publishing and creative entrepreneurship
The Creative Penn is one of my absolute favourite creative writer blogs! What I love about Joanna’s blog is that she takes you on a journey to build a sustainable writing life. We aspiring authors love to write. Duh! But selling ourselves through marketing campaigns? Yup, that can be gruesome. Joanna’s blogs guide you through the processes such as developing your brand, book marketing and the influences of what happens in the world around us.
Her writing shows she genuinely cares about writers as people. Her blogs make me feel seen and strengthen me to keep standing in a creative lifestyle that throws a whirlwind of challenges in my direction. For me, that’s true writing inspiration! Oh, and speaking of inspiration for writing, don’t forget to check out her Books & Travel blog and podcast, too.
2. Aliventures by Ali Luke
Focus: Practical tips for writers balancing creativity and everyday life
Ali is a legend when it comes to juggling life and passions. Where many of us struggle to find inspiration and time for writing in our daily lives, she has established creative freedom that lets her be a mum and a fantastic writer. Aliventures shares her novel writing tips, from inspiring you to name your character, to polishing your manuscript that is ready for publishing. But her blogs also zoom in on developing a mindset that opens doors to a sustainable, creative lifestyle. She talks about carving out time, even when life gets busy. And she knows from personal experience what it takes to overcome doubt. Apart from her blogs, she offers one-on-one writing coaching and brings aspiring authors together to share their experiences in an online writers’ cafe.
3. The Writing Practice
Focus: Building writing habits and creative confidence.
The Write Practice is a great platform among creative writer blogs where a community of writers shares best practices and practical novel writing tips. It helps writers to actually write. We all get distracted when we talk about writing (take me as an example!). The Write Practice offers checklists and writing prompts to help you build consistency and learn to write every day. Even if it’s just a small step.
Apart from the classic topics about writing and publishing, there are also interesting articles about joining writing contests, which is a great way to meet other writers and become familiar with the industry. Being a writer can sometimes be a lonely life. And that sense of community provides a place of belonging in which we can learn from each other and grow.
4. Nownovel by Reedsy
Focus: Novel writing tips and writer’s craft
Technically, Nownovel isn’t what we’d list under creative writer blogs, as it’s a product of Reedsy. This platform brings writers and editors together. However, this blog, including its writing techniques, helped me so much during my early writing phase when I was starting from scratch with no formal education. Especially the free 10-day e-mail course laid the foundation for what is now my story world—a book series plot and a rich cast of characters.
What makes this blog contribute to developing and maintaining a life of creating freedom is that it also covers writing motivation and inspiration. The authors of Nownovel understand that writing is more than getting words down on paper. It’s a life choice that requires dedication, and they are sublime in providing you with tips to keep your energy and writing flow going throughout the years to come.
5. Voyage Scribe by Nathalie
Focus: Writing and travelling as creative companions
This is another one of my absolute favourite creative writer blogs! And for a good reason. Nathalie, who is a full-time traveller and writer, offers tips, writing inspiration and resources for travelling writers. Voyage Sribe shows that her travels inspire fiction writing and vice versa. She’s written blogs that show why travel is a must-do for fiction writers, and she also shares tools like writing prompts and journals that help writers get the best out of their travels.
Her travel blogs show how to turn new places into story ideas and writing inspiration. By blending travel and writing, this author’s blog shows an alternative way to live a writer’s life of creative freedom.
6. The Writing Nomad
This blog follows my own journey of building a creative life between continents. Through my own lived experiences of writing and publishing my book series in Australia—the country that has inspired its fantasy world—I share my insights into what it takes to create a life of creative freedom abroad and to manage writing while travelling.
You’ll find posts on DIY writing retreats, finding story ideas through travel and how travel is the ultime way to find inspiration for writing a novel. Staying true to the essence of writing and my deep fascination with Australia’s Indigenous cultures, storytelling is the thread that ties every blog together.
So here they are! My six tips for creative writer blogs will help you sharpen your writing craft and build a life that leaves you with space, inspiration and creative freedom to write the stories you have to tell the world. Whether you’re juggling everyday life as a mum or dealing with the challenges of a full-time travelling writer, building a creative lifestyle is possible for every aspiring author. And the included author blogs show you its more than likely.