What do you do if your journalism lacks creativity?

As a journalist, you might sometimes feel that your work is becoming formulaic or lacks the spark of creativity. This can be a frustrating experience, especially when you're passionate about delivering engaging content to your audience. The good news is that there are several strategies you can employ to infuse creativity into your journalism and rekindle the flame of innovation in your writing.

1 Explore More

When your journalism feels stagnant, it's time to step out of your comfort zone. Exploring new topics, styles, or formats can inject fresh perspectives into your work. Consider tackling subjects you haven't covered before or experimenting with multimedia storytelling. By diversifying your portfolio, you not only challenge yourself but also provide your audience with varied content that can re-engage their interest and keep them coming back for more.

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2 Read Widely

Creativity often stems from inspiration, and what better way to find it than by reading widely? Immerse yourself in different genres, including fiction, non-fiction, and even poetry. This will expose you to various writing styles and ideas that you can adapt to your journalism. Pay attention to how other writers build narratives, describe scenes, and develop characters. These techniques can help you tell stories in a more compelling way.

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Abimalek Chirakkekaran Valsan

Advocate at High Court Of Kerala | Caseworker
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In my experience as a person who is in law profession and who engages in conversations with a lot of people and a public speaker… It is the knowledge of a subject that makes confidence to reflect back and engage in conversations … For any person who has made the passion for journalism or any profession that engages in social interactions should primarily have a in depth reading habit… The habit of reading widely enables a person to get in the conversation wagon let it be any group, any interview or any stage/platform…

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Ghita Jazouli

Journalist
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The more we read the more we learn from each other. It's important do read other people's work and to diversify in terms of subjects and languages. It helps us expand our horizons, get new ideas, experiment different styles, learn new ways of telling the news... Writing stories is a world full of possibilities !

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3 Engage Dialogue

Sometimes, all it takes to spark creativity is a good conversation. Engage with your peers, mentors, or audience to get fresh ideas and perspectives. Networking with other journalists can lead to collaborative opportunities or simply provide you with new angles on familiar topics. Remember, journalism is as much about listening as it is about telling; engaging in dialogue can be a powerful tool for creative growth.

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Abimalek Chirakkekaran Valsan

Advocate at High Court Of Kerala | Caseworker
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I agree that without an engaging intervention by a person the conversation dulls itself and has a point of quenching nature… It is pertinent that the people who wants to bring out a fruitful subject they ought to engage the parties in conversation and be mindful to not raise a discomfort to the parties… Reason being, once the comfort level of a group is on the same page the contribution in the matter would go beyond imagination… The result breaks the anticipated result when engagement goes beyond planning…

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4 Reflect Deeply

Taking the time to reflect on your work is crucial for creative development. Analyze your past pieces and consider what worked and what didn't. Think about the stories that excited you and why. Reflection can lead to a deeper understanding of your own journalistic voice and how you can use it to tell stories in a more innovative way. It's also a moment to reconnect with the passion that drew you to journalism in the first place.

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5 Experiment Often

Don't be afraid to experiment with different storytelling techniques. Whether it's interactive articles, podcasts, or photo essays, trying new formats can lead to unexpected and creative results. Experimentation is about taking risks and learning from both successes and failures. Each new attempt is an opportunity to discover what resonates with your audience and what satisfies your creative ambitions.

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6 Stay Curious

Maintaining an innate sense of curiosity is essential for any journalist. Ask questions, seek out the unusual, and always look for the story beneath the surface. Curiosity will lead you down paths less traveled, where unique and engaging stories await. By fostering this trait, you ensure that your journalism remains vibrant and full of the creative spark that captures your audience's imagination.

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Abimalek Chirakkekaran Valsan

Advocate at High Court Of Kerala | Caseworker
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I agree that every great idea, conversation and any form of evolution that lead to building of a society or a group depends mostly on the level of curiosity… A curious mind would seek things and will not be satisfied and that is why a curious interviewer would keep on digging and search without doubt to get an answer… As a matter of fact every interviewer from my perspective should be a person with high curious vantage point…

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Lorena de Bessières

Advocacia Empresarial de Alto Padrão | Consultoria | Contratos Comerciais Sob Medida | Segurança Jurídica | Mitigação Estratégica de Riscos
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Acredito que o melhor caminho do desenvolvimento profissional passa necessariamente pela valorização da sua natureza pessoal. Ora, se você tem dificuldades em ser criativo, talvez seja excelente em um jornalismo descritivo, em matérias sobre métodos ou técnicas, lançamentos de produtos premium, em revisões bibliográficas etc. Em suma, o problema não reside na pouca criatividade, mas sim em não utilizar o seu ponto forte - que pode ser outro, e está tudo bem.

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What do you do if your journalism lacks creativity?

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1 Explore More

2 Read Widely

3 Engage Dialogue

4 Reflect Deeply

5 Experiment Often

6 Stay Curious

7 Here’s what else to consider

Journalism

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