It happens to the best writers. We sit down at the ideal time of day in the perfect setting to create something inspiring. Ready. Set. Go. Wait what? What do you mean you can’t think of anything to write? No problem! In order to avoid the dreaded writer’s block, I’ve armed myself with a plethora of resources for writing prompts, and now I’m offering them to you.
WordSmith Deck – $15.95
I’ll start with my “in case of emergency” deck of cards. Pick a card. Any card. The questions are designed to clear your mind, jog your memory, or develop an idea. If you are ever staring at a blank journal page, these come in handy. Questions are divided into six different categories: Life. Self. Education. World. Relationships. And my favorite, Random. With prompts like “What in the world keeps you up at night?”, you will definitely find something that suits you.
Books
Which books? Prompt books to be exact. Here are a few of my favorites.
- A Year of Writing Dangerously by Barbara Abercrombie
- Writing is My Drink by Theo Pauline Nestor (LOVE HER!)
- 642 Tiny Things to Write About
- 300 Writing Prompts
With these handy books, I have over 1,000 ways to fight writer’s block.
Magazines
There are the typical writing magazines that I’m sure we writers all have buried in a pile that we can’t bear to throw away. Writer’s Digest. Poets & Writers. The Writer. No? Just me? Oh, okay. But, here’s another one you may not have thought of – O Magazine has mindful prompts all over her publication. Just check out the 3 pages of people who work on her publication. She always poses a question and the answers are entertaining. It makes me want to come up with an answer that no one else would think to write.
Children
If you have children or grandchildren, they are guaranteed to provide hours of material for your blog, book or stand up comedy routine. The only caveat is that once they learn to read and their friends follow you on Facebook, you must ask their permission. I speak from experience. The family drama that will surely ensue is not worth the likes.
Life in General
Look around. A conversation with a stranger or special moments you don’t want to ever forget are all writing prompts. Put down your phone and open your eyes to the world around you. You will be glad you did.
Doug
January 7, 2020 at 10:20 pm (4 years ago)Did I detect that one main solution is: if I cannot think of what to write, then read instead.
Roy A Ackerman, PhD, EA
January 7, 2020 at 9:06 pm (4 years ago)I never have a problem with what to write. My issues are more like- I can only post X number of blogs a week. Let’s employ a lot more discretion!