11 answers
hayden
Student
Elmira, New York
1
Question
Asked
596 views
how did you know what to write?
I'm stuck and dont know what to do
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11 answers
Sarah Jung
Cashier
6
Answers
Madison, Indiana
Updated
Sarah’s Answer
Hello!
I'd be happy to answer your question. My first guidance is, what is the criteria for your writing? Are you writing for fun, to publish, or maybe to show people?
I suggest downloading an app called "Pintrest" when I experience writers block. Pinterest is an app where you can select pictures and create a general mood board for how you are feeling. I know a lot of creative people take inspiration from there.
"A random word generator" can be really useful aswell! You can find one by searching on Google.
I hope this helps! I wish you luck in your writing. :)
Evaluate your writing goals
Create a moodboard on Pintrest to gather inspiration
Search a random word generator on Google and see where it takes you!
Have fun writing :)
I'd be happy to answer your question. My first guidance is, what is the criteria for your writing? Are you writing for fun, to publish, or maybe to show people?
I suggest downloading an app called "Pintrest" when I experience writers block. Pinterest is an app where you can select pictures and create a general mood board for how you are feeling. I know a lot of creative people take inspiration from there.
"A random word generator" can be really useful aswell! You can find one by searching on Google.
I hope this helps! I wish you luck in your writing. :)
Sarah recommends the following next steps:
Sarah, creating a mood board for inspiration is a great idea. Or
Jennifer Jackson
Aiden Holczer
Student/Screenwriter
2
Answers
Wake Forest
Updated
Aiden’s Answer
Hi Hayden! Struggling to decide what to write is something all writers can relate to. At this stage I would suggest simply writing about what interests you. The worst thing you can do is write about stuff you don't care about because not only will the final product be worse, but this could lead you to fall out of love with the writing process. If your talking about narrative writing (novels, fiction, screenplays, etc) than the general rule of thumb is "write what you know". Everybody lives their own unique experience, and finding a way to harness that is the key to fantastic writing.
Jennifer Jackson
Film Director
79
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Jennifer’s Answer
Hi Hayden,
Think of your current situation as a blank canvas, ready for you to paint your own unique masterpiece. Embrace the uncertainty and let your intuition guide you towards unexpected and innovative solutions. Break free from conventional thinking and allow your creativity to flow freely. Remember, the best ideas often come from exploring the unknown.
Good luck!
Jennifer
Think of your current situation as a blank canvas, ready for you to paint your own unique masterpiece. Embrace the uncertainty and let your intuition guide you towards unexpected and innovative solutions. Break free from conventional thinking and allow your creativity to flow freely. Remember, the best ideas often come from exploring the unknown.
Good luck!
Jennifer
Tom Foster
Freelance Writer with a lot of life experience
50
Answers
Forest Grove, Oregon
Updated
Tom’s Answer
Everyone here has great advice that you'll hear in the classroom or a chat room, and it's up to you whose advice to take. With all due respect to them though....
Just write. Let whatever you're writing sort itself out as your mind wanders and seeks out one door after another to walk through.
Just write.
Just write. Let whatever you're writing sort itself out as your mind wanders and seeks out one door after another to walk through.
Just write.
Carolyn Unnever
Author of two children's book and one song.
2
Answers
Micco, FL
Updated
Carolyn’s Answer
What are your interests? What experiences have you lived through personal or social. What life experience do you know that could help others. What hobby do you have that you can teach others. Do you want to describe your family history. Is there a family tradition that you have that you think others might want to know about. Describe how you are feeling about a situation. What are your views and beliefs. The more personal, the more people can relate. It lets them know that they are not alone in feeling or doing what you are doing.
Madeleine Graham
Freelance
12
Answers
Flint, Michigan
Updated
Madeleine’s Answer
Writing for a career is a passion. Sometimes you will have writer's block, but one of the great writers was John Steinbeck.
He worked with migrants when he wrote "The Grapes of Wrath." He also wrote, "The Great Gatsby," which truly addresses the two sides of the track between rich and poor.
Charles Dickens is another excellent example of writing from what you know.
Keep index cards for what you want to write about. Before you know it, you will have a variety of topics.
He worked with migrants when he wrote "The Grapes of Wrath." He also wrote, "The Great Gatsby," which truly addresses the two sides of the track between rich and poor.
Charles Dickens is another excellent example of writing from what you know.
Keep index cards for what you want to write about. Before you know it, you will have a variety of topics.
Meredith Stoffel Springer
Internal/Employee Communications
6
Answers
Yardley, PA
Updated
Meredith’s Answer
Hello Hayden,
You should definitely pen down your thoughts about the things you're familiar with or that pique your interest. Is there something that sparks your curiosity or something you wish to delve deeper into? Go ahead, investigate it, gain knowledge and express it in your writing. You can also reflect on your personal experiences. Remember, even the simplest daily life events can unfold into captivating stories. Keep exploring!
You should definitely pen down your thoughts about the things you're familiar with or that pique your interest. Is there something that sparks your curiosity or something you wish to delve deeper into? Go ahead, investigate it, gain knowledge and express it in your writing. You can also reflect on your personal experiences. Remember, even the simplest daily life events can unfold into captivating stories. Keep exploring!
Audrey A. Bates
N/A
4
Answers
Corvallis, Oregon
Updated
Audrey A.’s Answer
Hello Hayden!
Discover what sparks your creativity or identify who or what motivates you the most, and let that be your starting point. Reflect on actual events, your hobbies, or even your beloved timeless tales. You could experiment with a "what-if" scenario. This is an excellent approach if you're interested in crafting an alternate history or a fresh take on a classic narrative. Allow your imagination to roam freely, and pen down whatever ideas spring to mind.
I trust this will be beneficial. Wishing you all the best!
Audrey
Discover what sparks your creativity or identify who or what motivates you the most, and let that be your starting point. Reflect on actual events, your hobbies, or even your beloved timeless tales. You could experiment with a "what-if" scenario. This is an excellent approach if you're interested in crafting an alternate history or a fresh take on a classic narrative. Allow your imagination to roam freely, and pen down whatever ideas spring to mind.
I trust this will be beneficial. Wishing you all the best!
Audrey
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1880
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Hayden !
The best way to generate inspiration for your writing is to draw upon your experiences and the messages that you want to send out. Writers block is only natural sometimes but the good news is that people do usually break out of it. You will be inspired. And sometimes it helps to register at an online forum such as Writing dot com where you can write. They always have awesome topic prompts that will inspire you to exercise your creativity, too. The community there can provide feedback on your writings and this is sure to be an inspiration.
There are also other websites that provide inspiration and community for writers, but doing an online writing class could help with inspiration, too. Explore the writing courses at Coursera, Udemy, The Novelry, Writer's Digest University and Gotham Writer's Workshop.
Different things inspire different writers, so do not worry about occasional, temporary writer's block. It happens to everyone at one time or another.
Something else that may inspire you is to write for your school newspaper. When you are assigned to write something, it makes you focus on that which, in turn, would most likely get you back into the swing of things. Do not give up.
I hope that this is helpful and I wish you all the best !
WRITING (WHERE THE WRITERS GO) https://www.writing.com/main/newsfeed
A VERY LENGHTY LIST OF ONLINE WRITING COURSES https://www.classcentral.com/report/writing-free-online-courses/
The best way to generate inspiration for your writing is to draw upon your experiences and the messages that you want to send out. Writers block is only natural sometimes but the good news is that people do usually break out of it. You will be inspired. And sometimes it helps to register at an online forum such as Writing dot com where you can write. They always have awesome topic prompts that will inspire you to exercise your creativity, too. The community there can provide feedback on your writings and this is sure to be an inspiration.
There are also other websites that provide inspiration and community for writers, but doing an online writing class could help with inspiration, too. Explore the writing courses at Coursera, Udemy, The Novelry, Writer's Digest University and Gotham Writer's Workshop.
Different things inspire different writers, so do not worry about occasional, temporary writer's block. It happens to everyone at one time or another.
Something else that may inspire you is to write for your school newspaper. When you are assigned to write something, it makes you focus on that which, in turn, would most likely get you back into the swing of things. Do not give up.
I hope that this is helpful and I wish you all the best !
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Roger Maxwell
Freelance Writer
13
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Roger’s Answer
I’m in the same camp as Tom.
But also, why are you asking the question? Is it because you love to write and are stuck trying to find the next topic? Or, is it for some other reason … like an English class writing assignment?
If it’s something you have to do to pass a class, do a Google search for topics in a particular subject you’re interested in.
Otherwise … just write, like Tom said.
Write what? you ask. Anything and everything.
Start with, “What if…”.
You’re sitting outside and see a kid slug another kid. And you think, “What if the kid that got slugged in the shoulder took on a Kung Fu stance and performed some moves on the kid who slugged him? Then … what if ... other kids came around and asked the Kung Fu kid how he learned how to do that … and Kung Fu kid told the crowd that he grew up in China and his parents abandoned him when he was young, and the priests from the Shaolin temple took him in, and that’s where he grew up … and learned Shaolin Kung Fu…
I once saw a couch on the side of the freeway on my way to work. And I thought “What if someone hits that couch?” And I continued … “what if there was a guy sitting on that couch when the car ran into it?” Then I thought, “How would that happen? Maybe someone was late for work and wasn’t paying attention.”
And on and on.
And it could be anything. The stranger, the better.
And keep stringing out the “what if’s” … “what if … then what, and then what, and what if …” And just keep writing.
Here’s a secret, just for you, don’t tell anyone. Remember when Tom said to just write? When you do that … ideas will surface in your brain. And if you write with pen and paper, even better! Try it, you’ll see. There’s something different about writing with a pen or pencil and paper.
Change a nursery rhyme.
Know any nursery rhymes? Jack and Jill for instance?
Start writing … Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.
(What if?? … )
Jack filled his pail and dumped the water on Jill’s head
Jill got mad, told mom and dad, and Jack got sent to bed.
And that’s how it all began. Later that night, Jack left the house through his bedroom window …
Alter a story you already know
From a Nursery Rhyme
A comic book
A movie
A book you read
A story someone told you
A vacation you went on, OR wish you could go on.
I used to read comics a lot when I was kid. And I had to write something for English Lit. I thought of Conan going through the jungle after a battle and he’s attacked, and that got me going. It got me going so much that I ended up writing a 380 paged novel 40+ years later!
It doesn’t really matter what it is.
You’re like a car stuck in the mud… You gotta find a stick or anything to get your car free from being stuck. These are just tools you can use. Then, once you're back on the road with a story going on in your brain, you can go anywhere, right?
The What If prompt has been a good tool for me. Once you can get the first sentence on the page, then the next … it doesn’t matter what it’s about … not at this stage of the game. At this stage you’re just starting the engine, you’re getting your balance right on that bike, and feet on the pedals. Then once the wheels start turning, you're off to any destiny you wish!
Hope this helps.
Ciao!
Roger
But also, why are you asking the question? Is it because you love to write and are stuck trying to find the next topic? Or, is it for some other reason … like an English class writing assignment?
If it’s something you have to do to pass a class, do a Google search for topics in a particular subject you’re interested in.
Otherwise … just write, like Tom said.
Write what? you ask. Anything and everything.
Start with, “What if…”.
You’re sitting outside and see a kid slug another kid. And you think, “What if the kid that got slugged in the shoulder took on a Kung Fu stance and performed some moves on the kid who slugged him? Then … what if ... other kids came around and asked the Kung Fu kid how he learned how to do that … and Kung Fu kid told the crowd that he grew up in China and his parents abandoned him when he was young, and the priests from the Shaolin temple took him in, and that’s where he grew up … and learned Shaolin Kung Fu…
I once saw a couch on the side of the freeway on my way to work. And I thought “What if someone hits that couch?” And I continued … “what if there was a guy sitting on that couch when the car ran into it?” Then I thought, “How would that happen? Maybe someone was late for work and wasn’t paying attention.”
And on and on.
And it could be anything. The stranger, the better.
And keep stringing out the “what if’s” … “what if … then what, and then what, and what if …” And just keep writing.
Here’s a secret, just for you, don’t tell anyone. Remember when Tom said to just write? When you do that … ideas will surface in your brain. And if you write with pen and paper, even better! Try it, you’ll see. There’s something different about writing with a pen or pencil and paper.
Change a nursery rhyme.
Know any nursery rhymes? Jack and Jill for instance?
Start writing … Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.
(What if?? … )
Jack filled his pail and dumped the water on Jill’s head
Jill got mad, told mom and dad, and Jack got sent to bed.
And that’s how it all began. Later that night, Jack left the house through his bedroom window …
Alter a story you already know
From a Nursery Rhyme
A comic book
A movie
A book you read
A story someone told you
A vacation you went on, OR wish you could go on.
I used to read comics a lot when I was kid. And I had to write something for English Lit. I thought of Conan going through the jungle after a battle and he’s attacked, and that got me going. It got me going so much that I ended up writing a 380 paged novel 40+ years later!
It doesn’t really matter what it is.
You’re like a car stuck in the mud… You gotta find a stick or anything to get your car free from being stuck. These are just tools you can use. Then, once you're back on the road with a story going on in your brain, you can go anywhere, right?
The What If prompt has been a good tool for me. Once you can get the first sentence on the page, then the next … it doesn’t matter what it’s about … not at this stage of the game. At this stage you’re just starting the engine, you’re getting your balance right on that bike, and feet on the pedals. Then once the wheels start turning, you're off to any destiny you wish!
Hope this helps.
Ciao!
Roger
Joanne Williams
Associate Professor
31
Answers
Olivet, Michigan
Updated
Joanne’s Answer
Hayden,
Imagine, being free to do anything you want. That is what writing allows.
Perhaps that is too daunting. So, start by brainstorming.
Create a list of things - things you like, things you hate, things that start with "P," things in your room.
That will stir up ideas and when you start to think about something, write!
Also, it helps to have a WWWWWH structure: Who, What, Where, When, Why, How.
You can start with telling a story in six words.
Sometimes, I write letters to others to "talk" to them and in turn jog my memories and writing engine.
You can also ask other people or things to give you ideas. Flip through a newspaper or magazine, take a walk, talk to a neighbor.
Be curious, open and ready to write.
Imagine, being free to do anything you want. That is what writing allows.
Perhaps that is too daunting. So, start by brainstorming.
Create a list of things - things you like, things you hate, things that start with "P," things in your room.
That will stir up ideas and when you start to think about something, write!
Also, it helps to have a WWWWWH structure: Who, What, Where, When, Why, How.
You can start with telling a story in six words.
Sometimes, I write letters to others to "talk" to them and in turn jog my memories and writing engine.
You can also ask other people or things to give you ideas. Flip through a newspaper or magazine, take a walk, talk to a neighbor.
Be curious, open and ready to write.