You Don't Need Inspiration!
BY SHERY MA BELLE ARRIETA-RUSS
Or do you?
Writers write. You shouldn't
wait around for inspiration to come. But sometimes, there are
days you can't get anything written down. Or you're at a loss
for words. You can't think of anything to write. You don't
have any idea what to write about.
And then you end up believing
you're having writer's block.
You end up believing it too
much, you stop writing altogether. You might even think of
yourself as not a real writer.
And all because of what? You
think your muse deserted you? You think you have writer's
block?
Think again! You don't need
inspiration to write! What you do need are prompts to help get
your writer's mind working and your hands writing or typing.
These prompts are your
beginnings; the glimmer; the little sparks that you can shape
and fashion into stories, articles, essays and features.
You don't need inspiration.
All you need is an idea.
And here are a dozen seeds you
can try out for yourself:
-
The first typewriter was
patented on July 23, 1829. Interview some of the writers in
your group and find out how they write. You can develop this
into a light-hearted article about writers.
-
Many fictional characters are
not fictional at all. Write about one real person who has
been fictionalized.
-
Electricity is a recent
discovery. Think of 10 things to do when there's no power.
-
Pirates no longer just refer to
the highwaymen of the seas. There are different breeds of
pirates today. Write about today's pirates and what they're
pirating.
-
Many words in the English
language come from the names of people — such as mesmerize
(from Mesmer, a hypnotist). Find out more words from
people's names and write the story behind the words.
-
The US Declaration of
Independence begins with this line: "We hold these truths to
be self-evident, that all men are created equal..." Write
your own Declaration of Independence by using the same line
as your starting point.
-
How do you start a fan club?
Write a how-to on organizing a fan club for a favorite
author, singer, actor or sports figure.
-
How do planets die?
-
Expound or dispute this: "Where
science ends, religion begins."
-
Take a look at your bookshelf.
Pick one book and write a review of it.
-
How is privacy invaded on the
Internet?
-
Write an article on how to
choose a pet. Target your piece for kids aged 7-10.
Copyright © 2003-2004 Shery
Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ
Shery is the creator of
Ebook Pizzazz, a package that helps you create
eye-catching PDF ebooks with over 100 MS Word templates that
will give your ebooks and other documents the Ooomph! they
deserve.
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