3 Ways to Write with Both Your Left and Right Brain

Do you write with your left brain or your right brain? Take this test and see which way the dancer spins.

Clockwise? You think more with your left brain.

Counter-clockwise? You tap into your right brain more.

Not sure what this means?

Left Brain

It’s all about logic, facts, and details here. You find the patterns and organization of your words. The left brain is best for nonfiction writers and freelance writers.

Right Brain

This is where your imagination lives. You shape your characters, paint a story with your words, and find solutions for your plot. In other words, the right brain searches for possibility. The right brain is best for fiction writers.

But you need both sides of the brain to write. Many writers divide their time between freelance writing that pays the bills and creative writing that fulfills us (and that we hope one day pays the bills). The good news is that there are ways you can write with the right brain and left brain with both structure and fun.

Daytime = Business, Nighttime = Fun

Write at the best times of day for your brain! Your left brain works best during the morning to solve problems and your right brain sparks its creativity best at night. That’s why it makes sense that writers compose their freelance pieces during the day and tap into their creative works in the evening.

If you have time to write all day, create a schedule tailored to when your brain works best. Let yourself freewrite at night when your inner editor is checked out and click that editorial red pen in the morning after a good night’s sleep. I do this and I’m amazed at both the quality of writing I create at night and the sharp fine-tuning I can do by day.

Get Paid to Write What You Love

When it comes to your paid writing gigs, choose to write topics you like. That way, your left brain knows the facts and details like the back of your hand (or brain) and your right brain gets to flourish it with beautiful prose and structure. Even if you need to track down more facts about the subject, both your left brain and right brain will enjoy the hunt.

Play Games

If your schedule doesn’t have the flexibility to write when your left brain or right brain works best, train it. Warm-up the side of the brain you need with puzzles, riddles, and brain games before you pick up the pen to write.

Left brain: It thrives on math and science, so try Sudoku, crossword problems, and logic riddles

Right brain: This is your passionate side, so try word association games, memory games, sketching (or doodling!), and crafts.

Or, train your left brain and right brain to work together by solving a jigsaw puzzle.

What’s important to remember (no pun intended) is that your left brain and right brain each have strengths valuable to your writing. If you keep a growth mindset and utilize your brain correctly, you’ll see the improvement you want in your work.

What are your strategies to write with your left and right brain? Share them below!