By Jennifer Graeser Dornbush

If you’re looking for tips on how to craft the perfect red herring or outline your Act III climax… this isn’t that post.

This one’s for the working writers, the creatives who are trying to build a sustainable, inspired, and energized life while facing the blank page day after day.

Because here’s the truth: writing (of any kind), it’s about stamina. Curiosity. Habit. It’s about making space for your best work to show up.

Whether you’re just starting out or knee-deep in your 5th novel, these seven practices will help you keep your momentum, fuel your imagination, and stay connected to the pulse of great storytelling.

In this blog I’ll be referencing the crime genre a lot, because that’s where I spend a good deal of my time, but the principles apply to any writer, on any platform, in any genre.

Oh, and if you haven’t already grabbed my Crime Writer’s Forensic Toolkit (a freebie packed with real-world tips for writing authentic crime scenes), click here to get it now. You’ll thank yourself later.

Grab your iced coffee or a hot tea and let’s get inspired!

1. Curiosity = Creative Fuel

Yes, you have permission to binge away. Read just one more chapter. Dive into that magazine that just arrived.
Not just permission, encouragement.

As writers, consuming content is part of the job. It’s our continuing education. Every article you read, every docuseries you stream, every podcast you devour, it’s sharpening your instincts. You’re training your brain to spot patterns, build tension, and recognize what makes a story compelling (or fall flat).

Here’s the thing: you don’t have to chase trends. I’m never “caught up” on what everyone else is watching or reading. And I don’t feel guilty about it. The goal isn’t to be current, it’s to stay curious. Let your gut guide your watchlist. If it makes you lean in, gasp out loud, or shout “I knew it!” at your screen, you’re in the right place.

Here’s what’s on my shelf (and screen) lately:
   Books: Confessions of A Mafia Contract Killer, Devil in the White City, Killer of Little Shepherds, Hearts of Darkness
   TV: Ozark (for its slow-burn dread), The Alienist (for historical grit), Angie Tribeca (because satire has its place), and Brooklyn Nine-Nine (yes, comedy counts, great crime writing lives in all genres) Government Cheese (satire, crime, and family dynamics)
Podcast: Small Town Murder – explicit and wildly irreverent, but impressively researched and often surprisingly poignant. (Disclaimer: Their views don’t reflect mine. But their prep work? Gold.)

Pro Tip: Don’t just consume for entertainment, consume with intention.
As you watch or listen, ask yourself:

• What’s the central hook that reeled me in?
• How do they build and sustain suspense?
• What makes this villain work (or not)?
• What emotional beats hit hardest, and why?
• Why do I love this? Or, why don’t I?

This kind of intentional consumption turns passive viewing into active learning. You’ll find yourself absorbing rhythms, dialogue styles, pacing, and plot layering without even realizing it. That’s the magic of reading and watching like a writer.

Oh, and one more thing:
Don’t be afraid to return to your favorites. If a book or show impacted you once, revisit it. You’ll see new things through the lens of the writer you’ve become.

I’m currently rereading Walking on Water by Madeleine L’Engle. What a great writer-refresh.

Now go refill that watchlist or readlist… it’s research.

2. 2. Create a “Commonplace” Box

Writers collect ideas like detectives collect clues.

A line from a podcast.
A clipping from a hometown newspaper.

An old book you discovered in an antique store.
A story about a missing person that hasn’t left your head in three years.
A real-life unsolved case that haunts me.
A quirky obituary line or an oddball police report that plants a seed for a scene.

These are the breadcrumbs that lead to your next big idea, if you know how to follow them.

That’s why I keep a “Commonplace Box”. In times past, people kept commonplace journals in which to write quotes, inspirations, and ideas. I do the same but with a one foot square fabric box.

It’s not fancy. It’s not digital. I bought it at Ikea and it sits on my bookshelf easily accessible so I can toss in ideas, scribblings, and articles waiting to become future novels.

I use a few other methods as well. Here’s how I keep my idea organized (well, writer-organized, anyway):

• Print articles get dropped in my commonplace box, ripped from magazines, printed off websites, or scribbled on sticky notes.
• Online articles get bookmarked in clearly labeled folders in my browser. I even tag them by topic: DNA, poisons, stalking cases, unusual M.O.s.
• True crime books go straight to my bookshelf, often with a sticky note: “Use for future villain?” or “Plot twist on page 183!”
• Weird facts or killer lines? They go in my writing journal or my voice memo app. Inspiration doesn’t always wait for a quiet desk.

Pro Tip: If you’re more visual, use Pinterest or Notion to create a digital version of your idea, whatever helps you access and remember the idea later. Out of sight = out of mind.

You don’t have to use everything you collect.
You probably won’t. Who cares? You can always throw it away later.

The act of collecting trains your brain to pay attention to what sticks. It’s your subconscious saying, This has legs. Don’t forget this. And when the day comes where you’re stuck on a scene, plot, or character motive, you open the box.

And boom: the idea’s already waiting for you.

3. Take a Writer’s Retreat

Sometimes the only way to write… is to get away from your life.

Your dishes can’t guilt-trip you. Your laundry doesn’t need edits. And no one asks, “What’s for dinner?” when you’re on a writer’s retreat.

Now, before you picture some five-star yoga resort with a private chef and a view of the Amalfi Coast, pause. That’s not what I mean.

A retreat can be as simple as:

• A cheap cabin on Airbnb
• A borrowed guest room at your sister’s place
• A hotel room in a place where you’ll be undistracted

The point isn’t where you go. It’s why you go.

Writer’s Retreat Rules (I learned these the hard way):

• Set one clear, doable goal. Finish X amount of chapters. Outline a messy draft. Rework your villain’s backstory. Keep it focused.
• Unplug. No email. No scrolling. No “just checking one thing.” (You’ll lose an hour. Minimum.) Silence your phone.
• Set A Timer. I recommend NOT using your phone as a timer because the temptation is too great to click onto emails, texts, and the web. Get a stand alone time and work in 30 or 60 minutes increments. Then break for 10.
• Feed yourself. Pack snacks. Don’t forget real meals. You can’t write well on caffeine and adrenaline alone, trust me.
• Leave with a win. It doesn’t have to be huge. But make sure you walk away with something solid, something done.

This practice is especially powerful if you’re starting a new story (hello, fresh slate) or finishing one you’ve been dragging your feet on (hello, accountability).

Even just one retreat day can shift your creative momentum. And bonus: You get to feel like a “real writer,” even if it’s just you, a hotel balcony, and an outline scribbled on hotel stationery.

So give yourself permission to get away and get it done.

4
Use Your Lifelines

Writers get stuck. It’s not a sign you’re doing it wrong, it’s a sign you’re doing the work.

Plot snags, flat dialogue, timelines that won’t math… welcome to the job.

The difference between writers who stay stuck and those who break through?
They don’t try to tough it out alone. They talk it out.

Use your lifelines.

That could be:

• A fellow writer who knows your genre
• A critique partner who will lovingly call out your lazy subplot
• A real-life expert who’s been there, done that

When I get tripped up on a forensic detail, I don’t waste hours spiraling through conflicting Google results. I pick up the phone and call an expert. I’ve called coroners, detectives, trauma surgeons, forensic anthropologists, morticians, martial arts experts, trauma therapists, behaviour specialists. And the list goes on.

These professionals don’t just help me get it right.
They help me make it real.

Because lived experience can’t be found on page one of a wiki search result.

And here’s the thing: Most experts are generous with their knowledge, especially when they know you’re writing fiction and want to honor the truth of their work. (Be polite. Be clear. Be curious. It goes a long way.)

So the next time you’re staring down a story problem, ask yourself:

“Who would already know this?”

  “Who can help me?”

Then call them. Message them. Ask for 10 minutes of their brain.
That one conversation might unlock the entire scene, or even spark a better one.

Writing story is a solo act. But great storytelling? That takes a team.

5. Read Outside the Headlines

If you want to write stories that surprise your readers, you need to surprise yourself first. That means digging deeper than top headlines and trending topics.

Some of the best crime story seeds come from unexpected places, those tucked-away publications that make you stop mid-sentence and say, Wait… what?

Here are a few of my secret weapons:

🗞️ Hometown Newspapers

Tiny towns. Big drama.
These papers are gold mines of quirky, bizarre, and sometimes tragic stories that never make national news. Family feuds. Long-lost fugitives. Mystery inheritances.
My hometown still publishes a weekly newspaper called The Fremont Times Indicator. And I still read it regularly. More than once, a clipped article has become the spark behind a subplot or a short story.

Emailed Newsletters

Like most of us, I receive a regular slew of emailed newsletters. I don’t read every word every time they arrive in my inbox. But I do scan them for anything that might pique my curiosity.

And I read widely. Here’s a smattering of the scope of what I’m subscribed to: The Angeles (Catholic news from LA), The Epoch Times, The Science & Entertainment Exchange, Back Country Containers (how to build container homes), The Michigan Enjoyer, The SoCal Mystery Writers of America, Alliance Francaise, Ada Lovelace Society, Hollywood Prayer Network.

You get the picture. You never know where you’ll find your next great idea. So fill that email box with free newsletters! You can always delete.

📰 Regional Magazines

Three of my favorites: Texas Monthly, Arizona Highways, and American Essence.
They both consistently feature deeply researched, character-driven crime stories that aren’t just about the what, but the why and the how. You get nuance. Motive. Community context. The stuff that elevates your writing from formulaic to unforgettable.

🧬 ForensicMag.com

If you write anything involving forensic science, this one’s a must.
It’s my go-to for staying current on everything from new DNA analysis methods to digital evidence collection. Their daily newsletter hits my inbox with real cases and new tech, both of which have sparked scenes, character quirks, and even entire book plots.

Why does this matter?

Because originality is your edge.

Your audience has consumed a great deal of content. They haven’t seen the one inspired by a two-paragraph obituary from a paper no one else reads. Or a forensic breakthrough published in a journal that never trends.

These sources are where plot twists are born.
They’re where human stories live in all their flawed, fascinating glory.

So read beyond the algorithm. And let the weird and wonderful fuel your next great mystery.

Final Word

Are these revolutionary, earth-shattering strategies?
Probably not.

But here’s the truth: If you actually put them into practice, you’ll be miles ahead of the writers still white-knuckling their way through a manuscript and losing creative fuel.

Because sure, writing is a solo act.
But writers, we don’t have to struggle so hard.

So tell me, which one are you going to try this week?

And if you’ve got your own rituals, routines, or crime-writing hacks that keep you going…
Drop them in the comments. Let’s trade notes.

Jennifer Dornbush works as a screenwriter, author, speaker, and forensic specialist. She has developed film and TV projects, authored numerous books, and frequently speaks around the world on crime fiction and forensics. She divides her time between Michigan and Arizona. Jennifer can be found in the virtual world at www.jenniferdornbush.com and on IG @jgdornbush