It’s the perfect setting. You’ve got a steaming cup of coffee to your right, filling the room with the most amazing fragrance. The sun is filtering in through the window providing the perfect lighting. The birds outside sound cheerful as they flutter by. You breathe in such wonderful fresh air. The world is perfect.
You turn to your computer, the blank screen is smiling at you, ready for your words to fill it. Your fingers hover over the keyboard, poised and …
Oh no, the writer’s block sets in. What happened? Didn’t you have so many things to say just a few seconds ago?
Fret not dear reader, don’t weep for your words to return, for surely that will drive them away even more. Instead, have a go at a few small writing challenges to see if your words return to you. If not, maybe you’ll get a nugget of an idea for a different story/script/poem/grocery list/tweet/rock opera/letter to the editor…you know, whatever it is you’re working on.
10 simple steps to combat writer’s block:
1. What would you do if you knew you only had 24 hours to live?
2. Write a 10 page maximum short story/screenplay using these specifications: Genre – Mystery, Location – A pizza place, Character – A banker.
3. Spin the plot generator at the Script Frenzy website, and write a short story from the results. For instance, I’ve just come up with: En route to a llama resort, a muscle-bound juggler tries to break into pro Sumo wrestling.
4. You have 5 minutes to write a short romantic comedy – Go!
5. What is your greatest fear? Write a short piece as if you’ve had to face this fear.
6. Insert one of your favorite fictional characters into another fictional setting and write a short piece about it. For instance, Darth Vader suddenly finds himself headmaster of Hogwarts. That can’t be good for anyone…
7. Write for 25 minutes without stopping, using these specifications: Genre – Science Fiction, Subject – A trap, Character: A crazy cat lady.
8. Write a short 10-15 page story placing the protagonist of your current work in progress into an established literary setting. Send them to Narnia to fight the White Witch. Have them join the X-Men. District 9 needs a new tribute for the Hunger Games, and I think your protagonist is perfect for the job. Does someone need to have an epic battle with Godzilla? I think your protagonist does. Yes they do. Don’t fight with me, they do! Get to it. Chop chop!
9. War. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. But what does your main character do if they suddenly find themselves in a war torn countryside?
10.You’ve got 5 minutes. Write about the first thing you remember about your childhood. Was it your mom and dad yelling at you about sticking gum in Snuggle Bear’s mouth? How did that make you feel? Pretty darn rotten I’d think. Sort of along the lines of, “Hey, you told me to always share, and I just wanted to share my gum with Snuggle Bear!”
So, are your creative juices flowing again? Or are you huddled in the corner out of fear and insanity after having read this list? I’m leaning toward the latter myself, after coming up with this list.
Well, if your writer’s block isn’t gone after following these 10 simple steps, then the only thing left to do is grab that warm cup of coffee and fling it at the birds fluttering by so happily outside your window.*
Have you ever used writing prompts to combat downtime while the writer’s block controls your brain? Have they ever turned into full fledged projects, or just frustrated you even more?
*Limebird Writers do not actually condone violence against the happy birds outside your window. If, in fact, the writer’s block is getting the best of you perhaps it’s best to just get up and walk away for a bit, and leave the poor fluttering birds alone.
Limebird Writers 