Author: Tabitha Milam-Fisher

At some point, every writer faces a blank page or document. It can be frustrating, and sometimes, it can be scary. After you’ve written that first novel, you’re in the understanding that the hardest part is over, that the novels that follow, will come as easily as the first. Wrong. It never gets easier, and the ideas may come, but for the most part, end in nothing. As a writer, you have to form some kind of connection to the story you are writing, you must develop some kind of relationship with the characters in it, to be able to write that story as effectively as you want and need it to be written.

 

Here are a few creative ways to brainstorm new ideas for your story.

      1.) Use real-life events

 

It might not be the best way to strike up an idea, but it is certainly the easiest. Have you ever found yourself talking to someone, and find your mind going in a wild direction? A thought, a brief detour, your mind may take while talking, reading, or hearing, of a person or event? Write it down. Every crazy path thought or dream you may have, could lead to the best novel you’ve written. It can lead to the most interesting and easily relatable character you’ve ever written about. The best thing about being a writer is that you can write, change, and manipulate, every event and person in real life, to create the best stories of your life.

 

      2.) Use internet writing prompts

 There are many, many internet sites that offer writers prompts to inspire ideas for their next short story or novel. From a simple idea to a full plotline, you can find it online. There are many sites that even offer daily prompts that are emailed to you, to inspire daily inspiration.

 

3.) Read before watching

 There’s nothing like a good book to inspire a writer. Try reading a piece of fiction in a genre you wouldn’t normally read or write about. Reading is a great way to get your juices flowing in a new direction.

 

4.) Watch television

 If you are struggling to come up with ideas to write about, consider watching television. A mystery show, a true crime documentary, or a horror movie, can be the perfect place to find inspiration. There are many ideas waiting to be found on your television.

 

5.) Read your local newspaper

There are many varieties of topics you can find in your local newspaper to write about. A murder mystery, a sad or shameful act exposed, a heartwarming story. The ideas are limitless.

 

5.) Join a writer’s group

 If you are one of the millions of people who use Facebook, you will know that there are groups for any and everything you could imagine that you can join for help, support, and ideas. There are thousands of Writer’s groups just waiting for you join.

 

A writer has to be creative, or they wouldn’t be much of a writer. Take advantage of that creativity, take advantage of all the sources of ideas available to you.

 

 

We can all understand the struggles of balancing our lives and our time. With so much going on, so many different responsibilities, it’s difficult to balance those responsibilities between the things that we enjoy doing, things that make us happy. And if you’re a writer, you have no choice but to find that balance, to make time you don’t have, into time you must create. If you’re serious about your writing, you have to find that flow and balance. Here are a few suggestions to fit writing into your busy schedule.

 

1. Prioritize your time

 

It’s easy to convince yourself that you don’t have the time to commit to your writing; that it’s impossible to find the time in your busy day. But, the truth is, that you control how you spend your time throughout the day. If you make writing a priority, then you will find the time to write.

 

2. Eliminate useless activities

A writer’s biggest enemy is distractions. In a time before television, computers and social media, it was a lot easier to avoid distractions. In today’s world, there are many. The only way you are going to write progressively, is to limit the amount of time you spend watching television, surfing the internet and social media. In doing that, you will be able to write more. Remember that social media and television is a writer’s worst enemy and will eliminate precious writing time in a busy writer’s schedule.

 

 

3. Take advantage of the quiet

After your day is done, and you’ve completed all of your responsibilities, and the family has gone to bed, take advantage of the quiet. Nighttime is a writer’s best friend. It is probably the only time in your day, that you have nothing to do, no time restraints, and no one to interrupt you. There are many writers who say that they do their best writing during the late night, and early morning hours. Even if you have to get up early, you can allocate an hour to write before you go to bed. If you are serious about your writing, you understand that finishing a novel takes sacrifice and hard work. You sacrifice time, sleep, and your social life, to ensure that you finish it.

 

Most importantly, you do what you have to do to get it done. You find time that you do not have and prioritize it. You eliminate distractions, and you take advantage of quiet time. You put your mind to it, and you do not waiver. And you must believe in yourself, believe that you can finish, and believe in your writing.