Whether you've been writing for months, years, or decades, there'll almost certainly come times when you want to try something new.

Maybe you've got into reading a particular genre of fiction that wasn't your thing previously ... and you're wondering if it would be fun to write.

Or perhaps there's a type of writing you hadn't previously considered, like blogging or freelancing, but you think it could be a good fit for you.

Should you jump in and give it a try?

In most cases ... yes, by all means! You won't lose anything. Even if you don't end up using or even liking what you've written, those words are all a great writing experience that you wouldn't otherwise have had.

Here are a couple of great reasons to try something new in 2023:

#1: You're Feeling Stuck

Perhaps you were working on a single project or type of writing in 2022, and you just didn't seem to make the progress you wanted to make.

Switching to something else might re-energise you. Exploring a new style or type of writing could help get your creativity flowing again. Even if you decide against the new thing, you might return to your old project with renewed enthusiasm.

#2: You're Curious

Some of my biggest writing moves (in retrospect!) were because I was curious. Back in late 2007, I was curious about this thing called "blogging" and whether it could really be a way to make money. Several paid blogging gigs later, I quit my full-time job in IT in the summer of 2008 ... and fifteen years on, I'm still freelancing (and making great money from it, too).

Trying your hand at a new type of writing could lead you into a whole world you hadn't imagined. It might shape your career or life, just like it did for me.

#3: You Want to Have Fun

At some point in your life, you probably started writing purely for fun. Perhaps you loved writing stories as a child, or you wrote poetry in your teens, or you love writing letters to friends.

While writing can be hard work at times, I believe it should also be fun ... at least some of the time! Trying something new can free you up to just have fun with writing, focusing on enjoying the process rather than thinking about a specific outcome.

If you're interested in trying a new type of writing, you might like Get Writing. It's my set of four little guides to four areas of writing: blogging, short stories, novels, and freelancing. 

Each guide has key tips, then a four week mini-course to help you dip into that area of writing in a guided way. I've also included "going further" tips for each type of writing, so that if you already have some experience, you can take your next steps.

Get Writing has a bunch of extras, too, including prompts, printables, and other resources to help you get more from your writing time.

If you missed out on the half-price Christmas sale, don't worry: you can still buy Get Writing half-price with the code januaryspecial ... making it just $10 rather than the usual $20.

To use the coupon code when purchasing, simply type in your email address then click the "Add coupon" link. That code is valid until the end of January.

Happy writing,

Ali

P.S. If you missed the most recent blog post, you can find it here:

My Annual Fiction Writing Goals for 2023 (Plus Goal-Setting and Goal-Adjusting Tips)