There are very few things that can put a writer in a bad mood as much as writer's block does. As I was sitting down to write this week, I realized that the writer's block was hitting me. Hard. So, I started going through the motions to come up with some inspiration. And that was when I realized... Couldn't everyone use some advice about how to beat writer's block? So, here are some great ways to find something to write about.
1. Go To Sleep
This might seem like you're just avoiding the problem, but sometimes after I take a nap, I wake up from a dream that provides the perfect inspiration. Dreams are great inspiration for fictional stories, or, if you think about them enough, you might realize that there's something that's been bothering you to write about.
2. Work Out
A good workout requires you to empty your mind and focus. So when you're done, you'll have a blank slate to think about topics. Plus, those endorphins will make you feel a lot less frustrated, which sometimes is key to thinking of something to write.
3. Talk To Your Friends
Ask your friends how they're doing, what's going on in their life, if they have anything they want to talk about, etc. Their problems could inspire you to write about an issue that needs fixed. Their triumphs could lead you to write about something interesting they're involved in. Their interests could give you something new and different to look into. This will really give you some perspective, which might be just what you need.
4. Go On Social Media
Again, this might seem like a good way to avoid your problem, but think about what social media really are: a place for everyone to share everything. Maybe you'll decide to write about a political post you saw. You might decide that a current event that everyone is talking about is a good topic. Or maybe you'll want to write about how people overshare, or privacy issues on social media, or something of that nature.
5. Play A Game
Whether it's an online game, a board game, or a sport, games often have minimally-developed storylines. This can help with fiction writing, since you might be able to think about a way to make a similar story much better (of course, you can't plagiarize the actual game's story, but this is just for inspiration).
6. Watch The News
This is kind of the same idea as going on social media. Odds are, you'll see something on the news that you feel passionately about, and that can usually be a really good topic. It's even better to watch a variety of newscasts, since different perspectives can offer alternative approaches to a topic.
7. Take A Shower
You've probably heard of the Twitter account "Shower Thoughts." It's popular because it touches on an aspect of human nature that's kind of funny: everyone has weird, deep thoughts in the shower. You might just think of something that's weird enough to make a good topic for whatever you're writing.
8. Change Locations
Sometimes the physical place where you're writing is the problem. Maybe you need to go somewhere busier, or somewhere less familiar, or somewhere quieter. Any location that seems like it might help you feel more creative is probably a good place to go.
9. Read Your Previous Work
Sometimes, when you're writing, you feel so passionately about something that the ideas won't stop coming. Usually, when that happens, there's something you forget to actually write down. If you read your old writing it's likely that you'll remember something you forgot to write. Now, you can write about it in detail since you don't have a million other ideas in the way (at this point you probably have none).
10. Meditate
Here's the thing about meditation: it seems like no matter how much you tell yourself you need to clear your mind, you can't actually do it. When you're sitting there trying to clear your mind and that one thing keeps popping up, that one thing could be the perfect thing to write about.
11. Start Writing About Something Boring
If you can't think of anything good to write about, start writing about something boring. After a little bit, you'll feel super bored with your topic and think of something good to write about instead. Then, just delete the bad writing and start over (or don't delete it; it could turn into something good later).
