Monday, February 28, 2011

5 Ways to Bust Writer's Block - Stat



Confession time.
We all get writer's block at some point or another.
Some of us more than others.

Here are 5 quick ideas to bust writer's block.

1. Grab a photo - Use a childhood photo that prompts a memory or just go online and grab a free photo from Flickr Creative Commons or Wikimedia Commons.  Choose one that speaks to you and makes you want to say something about it. You can also go out with your own camera and snap shots.  There's nothing like a great photo to build a blog post around.

2. Read the newspaper - Often there are headlines and stories buried in the back of the paper that will make you want to share them, or inspire you to argue about something. You can find more newspapers online these days.  Real news is often crazier than fiction, you'll find.   And you'll be amazed at what you stumble across.

3. Eavesdrop at a coffee shop - This is a fun exercise.  Grab your journal and a pen...and sit near others.  You'll find lovers meeting, business being conducted, families sharing, etc.  Copy their conversations and then change it into something you can share...never use real names or identifying markers, but it's a great way to get words flowing to paper. Share a conversation with someone you had yourself or interview someone.

4. Read your TV Guide - There are a million TV shows on these days.  Read over their themes or synopses for the week.  This will spark exasperation or excitement. 

5. Read other blogs - Don't copy someone exactly, but reading what others have to write often jumpstarts my creativity. Reminds me of something I wanted to share or an idea I could write about from my perspective. It never hurts to give credit to that blogger for sparking your creativity either. A quick mention and a link isn't going to hurt you, and who knows, they may do the same for you one day.


Have you tried any of these methods?
Do you have any tried and true methods of busting writer's block that work for you?
Do share!


2 comments:

Belle said...

Thanks for the ideas!
I get most of my ideas from my family, but I have also been reminded of stories by reading other blogs.
I like the idea of looking at a photo and then just writing about it. A magazine is also a good place for inspiration.

CrystalChick said...

Even though I'm not a writer, I do have trouble with what to post at the blog some days. The eavesdropping at a coffee shop idea could be quite fun! I certainly do it now and then, but writing what I hear... hmmm...