5 activities to inspire writers

Where can you turn to get words and ideas flowing again?

Try taking a break from putting words on paper or a screen. That’s right— Put down the pen. Stop typing. But don’t give up on the assignment. Do something besides write—such as these five activities:

1. Research

Maybe you’re stuck because you don’t have enough material to keep fueling your writing. Going blank can be a sign that you haven’t done all of the legwork and need to do more fact-finding before you can make your points articulately.

One giveaway? You lack solid examples or specifics that tell the story you’re trying to get across. The cure is the do some more research or think through more clearly the points you want to make.

2. Talk

Tell a friend or colleague what you want to say. Voicing your points—in plain language, out loud—sometimes frees up the brain. Explaining, verbally, what you want to say, can flush out the clog that sometimes prevents people from explaining, in writing, what they ought to say. Then you can make the case better when conveying your thoughts on paper.

3. Walk