It’s daunting to start writing. Sometimes you think you know where to start but when pen comes to paper, you blank out. You freeze, asking yourself, “where do I start” or “what do I write about?” Funny how that works since before you picked up that pen you knew what you wanted to jot down. Brain not braining.

Well fear not! Here are three, practical tips to get those creative juices flowing:

1. Start with Freewriting!

2. Use Writing Prompts to spark Ideas!

3. Focus on what Excites you!

   1. Do some Freewriting.

Freewriting is the process of letting all inhibitions go and simple write down what comes to mind. Let go. Write. Jot down—or type if you’re on a computer—what pops into mind. Don’t think about if it makes logical sense or what order you should scribble your ideas in, just type away!

Start by writing what you love. That could be a place, a pet/animal, a type of food, a person, anything! You can write down an interesting dream or a conversation you had that day. Don’t worry if it’s not related to your story-let your thoughts and creativity run wild!

One thing I love doing is setting up a timer, say 45-minutes, and just write! Jot down whatever pops in your head! Any small, tidbit of an idea—no matter how insignificant it may seem—just get it down! Remember, no rules, no judgement. No one is going to see it and no publishing house is gonna take a look at it.

Think of freewriting like a warmup for your brain. Like how you stretch and do a light run before your workout, freewriting allows you to stretch those creative muscles before deep-diving into heavy work! The goal is to get words on the page. It’s to get those ideas out of your head and onto the document so that your brain has space to think of new ideas!

Let your thought’s spill out, whether it be emotions and feelings, descriptions of people and/or places, or even themes you like to see within your story. Just get it on the page and keep writing! This process helps you shed that need to be “perfect”—you’ve heard it before, that perfectionist part of you that screams to have things in order. Don’t listen to it!

2. Use Prompts!

Sometimes, it takes a little nudge to get your creativity going. That’s where writing prompts come in. Writing prompts are phrases or one-liners that help spark an idea and ignite your creative juices! For example:

• You’re walking along the beach and discover a glass bottle with a message inside, hinting at a secret treasure location. What does the message exactly say and what are you going to do?

• You wake up one day with super powers. What power do you possess? What are you going to do now?

• You find a portal to another world in your closet but you can only stay for 3-hours. Describe the world and what do you do in it?

Pick a prompt that catches your eye and set aside at least 30-minutes to write what comes to mind. Remember, don’t overthink it! let your thoughts spill onto the page (or screen). You might be surprised by the unique story you’d come up with!

3. Try something Exciting!

This should be obvious but sometimes we get inside our heads a little. Try something that resonates with you! In other words, write what excites you! What are your interests? Any favorite movies? Any unique hobbies? Use that and push the boundaries of creativity!

Whether it’s a scene from a movie, a show or a book; a character you can’t get out of your head or a place you always dreamt of visiting, let the enthusiasm and excitement guide your writing! If you’re passionate about a topic, you’ll find it easier to jot it down. Don’t forget—you’re first draft is an experiment! It doesn’t have to be perfect, so put down whatever thoughts pop up.

Trying making a list of your favorite things. Movies, shows, books, locations, foods etc…Then write what elements comes to mind with each of them, and use these as inspiration for your story. Was it a sad ending to a movie? Use that emotion! Was it a shocking twist in a book? How did you feel? Excited? Shocked? Write it!

And that is all folks! I hope this blog post gave you some idea on where to begin your writing! Good luck and have fun!

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For a little more help, join me LIVE on Twitch from Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM EST! 📚✍️ I’ll be working on my second book, and together we’ll tackle tasks using the Pomodoro Method for focused work sessions. Bring your to-do list, and let’s boost our productivity side-by-side! 🚀