Have Writers Block? Here’s 10 Surprising Strategies to Generate New Ideas

This is one the most common questions I get from new writers. There is an entire world of ideas and finding them is really easy once you know the tricks!

1. Do you get the newspaper?

Look through it for interesting headlines and topics. Remember to check the Op Ed page and the death notices. Yes, death notices. Have you ever perused those?

They can be a gold mine for interesting tidbits of human interest. I have found some great things towards the back of the paper that have given me ideas for stories.

For example, I like anything involving a disappearance of someone or a theft, especially if it involves a theft from a museum.

I found was about a man who dressed up as a chess piece to entice children to become curious about learning to play chess. (If you don’t get the paper head to your local branch of your public library. They will carry several papers).

2. Take a solitary walk outside so you are not distracted by anyone.

Don’t listen to your music either. You want to be available to listen to the sounds and sights all around you. For example, I do some pet sitting. The other day, I took the dogs out for their walk and we went a different way from our usual route.

On the way back while waiting for them to do their business, I was standing facing the woods and I noticed a nest that had slipped sideways from the previous day’s strong winds.

The nest was empty, abandoned, I took a photo of it. It was such a perfect little nest, well-constructed with carefully woven, little branches, leaves and sticks. I plan to use that photo to generate some nature poetry.

3. Think about your family history.

Every family has stories. Think about those. What was the funniest? The most embarrassing? The craziest? Have you written any of them down? No?

Go ahead, write them down now. It can be the form of a poem, a personal essay, a journal entry, or a new story.

4. Did you have a cherished blanket, doll, or toy car when you were a kid?

What made it so very special that you could not sleep without it? How long did you have it? Do you still have it? Write it down!

5. How about the first time you drove a car?

What was it like? What was the car? Whose was it? How did you feel? What happened? Was it a success or a failure?

Sit somewhere quiet and close your eyes. Bring up that experience. Revel in that memory. When you are ready, write down everything you remember.

6. Have you ever traveled by plane, train, or bus?

Did you strike up a conversation with your neighbor? Did they strike up one with you? What did you learn about them? What was most interesting? Did anything eventful happen along the way?

If so, you have a great start for a story. Start with one thing from the conversation and see where it takes you. (Write it down in a journal, notepad, or laptop).

Write for ten minutes without stopping. When you are finished you will have a good start on a personal essay or turn it into a story.

*Do not edit or correct anything while you write. That will take you out of your creative process.

7. What was your first job?

What did you do? Were you any good at it? Did you like it or hate it?

If so, why or why not? How were the people you worked with? What was your boss like? Write down what you remember in your journal or laptop.

8. What was the best day of your life?

Write everything down that you remember.

9. What was the worst day of your life?

Write that down. Don’t forget to visualize it. Do you remember hearing, seeing, smelling anything? The more senses you can use to describe it, the better.

10. What would you like to be?

Write it down, really go for it. Who would you be? What would your life be like? How would it be different? Write as if you are that person. What happens?

Does it all end up the way you think it will? Now re-write it as a character for a story. Throw in a complication. Add a character who is a helper. How will he/she help you? Add a character who is your worst enemy. Why are they your enemy? What does your enemy-villain do to cause you upheaval?

Think about real life situations. What do people do to one another to hurt each other? Why do they do it? What do they seek? How will you persevere and triumph over each obstacle? You now have the elements to write an intriguing story!

The more pay attention to your surroundings, notice extraneous conversations around you, and keep your eyes open for things you find interesting, the more ideas will come to you.

Ideas for writing come from everything in your life!

You just have to be open. Always be ready to jot an idea down. If you don’t do it when you have it, you will forget it. If you have a phone that has an app for taking notes, use it. If you don’t have an app like that, get one. There are many free ones out there. Are you “old school”? Prefer, good old paper and pencil or pen? Great!

Keep a small notebook or journal with you at all times. Be sure to keep one beside your bed at night for when you wake up from weird dreams or nightmares.

The second you wake up, DO NOT MOVE or you will lose the dream. Next go over the dream in your mind and then say it out loud to yourself, or to the cat, or to the dog. Now, that you have done that, you can finally write it down in your journal or on your laptop. Whatever you prefer.

The reason you want to follow the steps in order is so that you remember your dream. You want to remember every detail you can, and this is the way to be sure of persevering your dream for the next story you create.

Now, go for a walk, have a cup of tea, or observe someone walking down the street. What happens next?

Write it down. May your writing adventures open up with the simple act of becoming mindful — paying attention to the everyday world around you.

Namaste