Perhaps the most frequently cited (and useful) writing tip is to read. And to read broadly - across genres and styles, formats and approaches. Alongside that, to become a great (or better) writer, you need to write. And that’s not being facetious - all too often would-be writers (and professional writers, for that matter) struggle to put pen to paper. That’s to say, procrastination is a huge inhibitor of creativity, when in fact, getting something on the page is better than nothing at all. It doesn’t matter how rough your first attempt(s) might be - having something to work with, to improve, to reflect on, is vital to making progress, to building momentum, and to enjoying the act of writing. 

Read on for 5 ways to find inspiration that will help make writing a regular habit, and also hopefully banish those pesky blank-page blues.

1. Make time to make writing a habit

A common reason (or excuse) for not writing is “I don’t have enough time.” Fair enough - pretty much everyone is over-worked, over-tired and wishes they had more time, but the truth is, it’s unlikely there’ll ever be an ideal time to start writing. That magical moment when all day-to-day commitments and responsibilities dissipate so you can focus entirely on the novel you’ve always been meaning to write is unlikely to materialise. 

To combat this, set aside a specific time to focus entirely on writing. This might mean getting up half an hour early so you can put in a writing shift before work. It might mean devoting your lunch break to writing. It might mean writing during your commute. Whether this is once a day, or once a week, establishing some kind of habit will help. Massively.

2. Use prompts

If you’re struggling to start, try using prompts to spark ideas. At the very least, they’ll force you to focus and open your creative floodgate. At best, they might even turn out to be the basis of a fully-formed short story (or novel). Here are a few prompts to get you going, and there’s no reason you can’t use our Love Reading4Kids Get Creative inspiration ideas either:

  • Write about a group of strangers thrown together in a lift
  • Write a story that begins with someone accepting a dare 
  • Write about someone finding a photo from the past that throws their life into disarray
  • Use these opening lines to start a story:
  • She’d lost her way and was scared to admit it.
  • Seeing the door like that set his heart pounding.
  • The boy reminded him of himself as a child. Eager, but edgy.

3. Flash fiction

Related to finding time to write, and using prompts, writing flash fiction to a timer is a great way to get those creative juices flowing. You could do the prompts listed above to a timer, within a set word count. Say, for example, set yourself a 300-word limit and give yourself twenty minutes to put something on the page.

Here are some extra scenarios to use as the basis for a piece of flash fiction - remember to set a timer and word limit before you begin (though who’s to say you have to stop if inspiration has properly struck?):

  • Write a comic story that features an ambulance driver, a tin of tuna and a percussionist
  • Write a mystery story about the object closest to your right, the object closest to your left, and the last thing you bought
  • Write a piece of thrilling fiction set in the last place you went on holiday

4. Write with purpose - join a writing group

This won’t be for everyone (many writers prefer to work alone and get the job done before inviting outside comments and critiques), but if you’re struggling to focus you might benefit from joining a writing group. The sense of support and community might be the spur you need - the power of cheerleaders in the same boat can’t be underestimated. If you’re based in or around London, you’ll find a range of groups here, and here’s a round-up of Facebook writing groups.

5. Write with purpose - enter competitions

There’s nothing like a looming deadline to make a person spring into action, so why not give yourself a deadline by entering competitions? There are thousands of them covering all kinds of writing, all genres, and all lengths of work. We even have our own LoveReading Very Short Story Award to enter, and an article that shares short story-writing tips - so there’s no excuse for not just getting on with it.