I wonder if you’ve ever thought about choice-based IF. As @Doug_Egan suggested, it’s way less taxing to program. The whole “freedom to explore” (like traditional parser games) is out the window though. However, with limitations comes a narrower focus. And, I’d argue that creativity is born from working within (or overcoming) limitations.
Maybe limitations is what you need to be creative and nurture that “spark”. Sometimes, even self-imposed limitations can make something mundane into something challenging and interesting (not boring). That’s the heart and soul of themed game jams.
Food for thought.