A Writer's Sanctuary

Have you ever struggled with writer's block? It can be pretty frustrating. There are times when I really want to write something but I have no clue what to write about. The following are some suggestions on what you can do to help spark some ideas. There's inspiration everywhere but sometimes we have so much going on or we think so hard that we don't see it.

The News:
News articles are a good source to get your creative juices flowing. There's such an abundance of drama in news articles and there are so many different scenarios that a writer can come up with from the little snippets of information that are given in them. There's so much more that goes on that isn't stated in a news article. You never get the whole story. Fill in the blanks. Make your own stories.
The short story "Where are You Going, Where Have You Been" by Joyce Carol Oates was inspired by the Tucson, Arizona murders.

Pictures:
Did you ever think that something as simple as a picture could inspire you to write a whole novel? Well, the novel Jazz by Toni Morrison was inspired by a picture that she saw.

Your Life:
Look at your own life. Think back to experiences that you've had as a child, teenager, or even in your adulthood. Maybe there was an event that touched you deeply or angered you that you want to speak out about. Give voice to your experience.

Freewrite:
It's a good way to get ideas flowing. Don't pause when you're writing. Let all of the ideas spill out of you. Set a time limit. Tell yourself you're going to write (or type) for say ten minutes on a certain topic, or maybe just write in general, without stopping. Don't worry about whether someone else is going to read it and don't worry about perfecting what you're writing. Sometimes we can't write simply because we worry about what other people are going to think when they read it, whether they'll like it or not. We end up censoring ourselves and it can limit your writing. Get your ideas out first and worry about that later. You can add or subtract after.

I'll add more to this when I get some more ideas and time.