Some nights, creativity hits me like the chorus of Celia Cruz’s “Quimbara”—pure magic, unstoppable and full of rhythm. Other times, it's like waiting for a late Miami bus: frustrating, a little sweaty, and you’re seriously questioning your decisions. The truth is, inspiration doesn’t always come when you want it to, but you can coax it out with the right rituals (and maybe some cafecito). Over the years, I’ve found that certain habits help me go from blank page to flow state, whether I’m working on a new short story, an article for This Publication, or just daydreaming about plot twists while people-watching.

Here are my favorite creative rituals, tried and tested through years of writing in café corners, my grandmother's bustling kitchen, and yes, even during power outages with nothing but a candle and my abuela’s dramatic anecdotes to fuel me.

1. Channeling My Inner Telenovela Star

Let me set the scene: I light a bougie scented candle, even though my mom will tell me it’s a waste when I could use Febreze. I throw on dramatic music—a little Juan Luis Guerra for heartbreak scenes, maybe Rosalía for something fiery—and immediately, I’m transported. Music has this ability to shift your mood and spark ideas, and I owe at least half my stories to the epic soundtracks playing in my kitchen.

When I’m stuck, I imagine how my abuela would make a minor inconvenience sound like the climax of a telenovela. For example: Remember when I parallel-parked for a date and the guy didn’t say thank you? My brain instantly cast him as the villain in an imaginary series I like to call No Gracias, Señor. Life’s tiny dramas inspire my writing because they remind me just how colorful and messy human emotions can be.

Pro Tip: Curate a playlist that speaks to the vibe you want to create. Need to spark heartbreak? Cue up some vintage Luis Miguel. Want powerful, boss energy? Shakira’s “She Wolf” never fails.

2. The Cafecito Pause

No Miami story would be complete without coffee. In my world, it’s more than a caffeine fix–it’s a ritual. There’s something soothing about the familiar hum of my stovetop cafetera and the sharp aroma that fills my apartment. Making coffee forces me to slow down, to lean into the process.

After pouring the tiny, perfect cup, I take a moment to sit with my thoughts. Whether I’m staring at a blank Word document or still noodling over a plot twist, this pause shifts me into creativity mode. It’s my version of unlocking a cheat code—and hey, with a shot of Cuban espresso in your veins, you basically are unstoppable.

Pro Tip: Your tonic doesn’t have to be coffee. Maybe it’s tea, kombucha, or—even better—attempting to recreate some wild cocktail recipe you saw on Instagram. The key is to treat your drink like a tiny ceremony that says: “Okay, brain. Let’s get to work.”

3. Walking It Out, Literally

When I hit a wall creatively, I lace up my sneakers and head out for a walk. The streets of Miami are a wildly underrated muse. I mean, where else can you overhear two older Cuban ladies debating the merits of Marc Anthony’s latest album while a guy bikes past blasting Bad Bunny? The city’s chaos is the perfect nudge to remember that creativity lives in the small, absurd, and beautiful details around us.

On one particularly sticky summer afternoon, I watched a group of kids in a park negotiate rules for kickball like it was the U.N. It reminded me how universal the art of compromise is, and the scene inspired me to resolve a conflict between two fictional characters in a story.

Pro Tip: Pay attention while you walk. It’s not just exercise—it’s research. Listen to snippets of strangers’ conversations (ethically, of course). Notice how people gesture, how the air smells after it rains, how dogs sometimes resemble their owners. Creativity comes alive when your senses are awake.

4. Turn Up the Volume (On Family Lore)

My family histories are a goldmine, and tapping into them always revives my creativity. My relatives tell tales so vividly, they make Gabriel García Márquez look understated. Did your uncle really once smuggle a pig in his car to bring to a party? Maybe not, but it doesn’t matter. It’s the spark that counts.

When I feel uninspired, I call my parents or one of my aunts. The way they describe the past—nostalgia wrapped in punchlines—grounds me and reminds me how much storytelling is part of my DNA. Listening to my mom talk about Little Havana evenings, when everyone sat on their porches gossiping about the neighbors, practically writes dialogue for me. Also, let’s not sleep on abuela wisdom. There’s a reason why so many Rom-Com meet-cutes feature meddling grandmothers: It’s because they KNOW things.

Pro Tip: Record your family conversations (with their permission). These moments might inspire more than just one piece of writing—they might connect you to your roots in deeper ways.

5. Flirting with Freewriting

You know what no one tells you about creativity? It’s supposed to be fun, not a chore. When writing starts to feel stiff or forced, I "flirt" with freewriting. I give myself a challenge: Write whatever comes to mind for 10 minutes without stopping. No erasing typos. No second-guessing. No "this sentence doesn’t make sense."

Believe it or not, these low-stakes exercises often lead to my best work. One time, I started freewriting about missing guava pastries when I moved to New York, and that rant turned into an entire essay on home, belonging, and love. Creativity thrives when you let yourself play.

Pro Tip: Think of this as stretching before a workout, but for your brain. If it feels silly, you’re doing it right. Use random prompts like, “Write a breakup letter to a bagel” or “Describe the first thing you’d buy if you won the lottery.” Go off. See what happens.

6. Ending the Day with a Good Book (or a Silly Movie)

Nights are sacred for refueling my creative well. Sometimes that looks like curling up with a worn copy of One Hundred Years of Solitude just to marvel at Márquez’s magic. Other times, it’s watching a goofy Rom-Com, where the characters somehow go from hating each other to a profession of love in a rainstorm within 90 minutes.

Recharging my creativity also means stepping outside of myself and enjoying other people’s art. It reminds me that good storytelling, whether it’s literary or cheesy, is all about heart. And wow, nothing teaches you narrative pacing like a well-timed meet-cute.

Pro Tip: Let what you consume inspire rather than intimidate you. Don’t compare your early drafts to someone else’s bestseller. Creativity is part excavation, part experiment, and all your own timeline.

Creativity Isn’t Magic; It’s a Practice

Here’s the thing: Creativity isn’t about perfection, and it doesn’t always appear when you need it most. But by creating rituals—whether that’s steeping a good cafecito, blasting salsa music, or walking with no agenda—you’re setting the stage for inspiration to show up. Be patient with yourself; some days, the ideas flow effortlessly, and other days, you’re just organizing your sock drawer and calling it creative procrastination. Both are valid.

And remember: Your path to creativity is as unique as your own story. You don’t need to follow anyone else’s method. Build habits that feel natural and joyful to you. The magic? That’ll come naturally.