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May 13, 2016

Resources for Writing Inspiration

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Anyone who’s written so much as a book report can tell you that writer’s block is a real thing. Whether you’re out of ideas or have too many to focus, we’ve all experienced a creative slowdown at some point. It’s not fun. Ideas don’t appear out of thin air, but deadlines do exist, so sometimes you just need to get inspired (and fast). With this in mind, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite methods for getting ideas flowing.

Take a break – sometimes a project needs to be left alone to breathe and returned to with a fresh perspective. Short mental breaks actually improve your focus, and some studies even suggest that the best ideas are formed when your brain is in daydreaming mode. As a frequent daydreamer, I accept this suggestion.

Go for a walkResearch has shown that walking boosts creative inspiration, especially for tasks that require a fresh perspective or new ideas. Plus, we’re all aware of the importance of physical activity, so even if you don’t have an epiphany on your afternoon stroll, you’ll be healthier for it!

Look for inspiration in unexpected places. In Steal Like an Artist (another great resource for creative slumps), author Austin Kleon said, “Your job is to collect good ideas. The more good ideas you collect, the more you can choose from to be influenced by.” I find it useful to “collect ideas” by adding some variety to the media I consume. If I didn’t keep myself in check, I would probably just listen to stand up comedy all day, which wouldn’t be the best way to expand my worldview. It’s better to mix it up.

Brain dumps – A tried and true brainstorming method at Delucchi Plus, brain dumps essentially involve spilling out the contents of your brain onto paper. I personally do this by writing down every word or phrase I can think of that’s associated with the topic I’m writing about.

If all else fails, check out these writing resources:

The 22 Rules of Storytelling, According to Pixar – a great reference to use while putting a story together.

Synonyms for the 96 Most Commonly-Used Words in English

The Hemingway app lets you paste in your writing then highlights errors and instances where sentences are too long and complicated.

Happy writing!