Writing inspirations from my 6-year-old

Mother to Neil – a naughty, vibrant, and curious 6-year-old, my writing journey hasn’t been the same since I’ve been pregnant. I’ve been a writer for 13 years and a mom for 6, but the latter has shaped way more experiences and thoughts than my writer life.

Young children see the world in a refreshingly unique way. They don’t conform to social norms, they don’t need to please anyone, and they haven’t been moulded by traditional education yet. It’s their untamed imagination and innocent perspective that can actually spark creativity among adults and inspire us to think in unexpected ways. 

As a writer, motherhood experiences have been one of my greatest writing inspirations. My son is faster than Google and AI and definitely has more thoughts running through his head every second. 

Always Work with a Curious Mind

An average 4-year-old asks about 400 questions in a day. That’s the power of curiosity! Adults barely ask 4 questions before we start on the task at hand just to strike it off our to-do lists. With kids, there are no to-do lists, clients, or deadlines. Thus, they take all the time in the world to be curious – to ask questions, to really delve deeper into every topic. My son asks questions like – why can’t cars fly like aeroplanes, why can’t we go on a holiday in a submarine, why can’t those who go to god’s house give us a call, and so on. 

Every question may not have an answer, but it makes me think! By embracing an open-minded nature and inquisitive attitude, I can discover new ideas, untapped perspectives, and unique story angles that will ultimately breathe life and magic into my writing.

Focus on Imaginative Storytelling

Children possess an incredible ability to weave stories without any boundaries. Their characters are dreamy and unbelievable, yet so relatable. His stories don’t have unicorns, although I’d love to #breakgendersterotypes, but they do have lots of cars, transformers, guns, and more (probably the next Rohit Shetty in the making).

When we let our imagination run wild like kids, we infuse our writing with the elements of wonder and whimsy. And before you know it, it creates the hook that engages our readers. 

Playing with his Lego blocks helped me overcome my writer’s block!

Share your Authentic Voice

Filters are only for Instagram, not for kids. When you watch a toddler share his unfiltered honesty with the world, you’d be surprised at the impact it creates. Ever noticed how a kid never worries about who’s looking or what anyone’s thinking when they are screaming, crying or throwing a tantrum in public?

That’s the kind of honesty we need in our communication! 

If you’re sad, just own it. If something is off, be vocal about it.