BY CHRIS SPENCE

COMBATINGWRITER'S BLOCK

Aspiring authors and seasoned authors alikewill all come across the most dreaded of

beasts at one point or another: the blank page.When faced with the blank page, no originalideas, and a general feeling of exasperation,

it’s best to have a plan of attack because thereare things you can do to spur your inspiration

and create a great story.

CHECK OUT A WEBSITE THATGENERATES WRITING

PROMPTS

Websites like WritingExercises.co.uk and Writer’s FirstLine Generator generate first lines of a story that canhelp jog your creativity. Writer’s Digest has a section

where their readers can sign in and give ideas fordifferent prompts. This could be a good tool if you’re

struggling to find a great idea.

Try FreewritingSometimes all we need is a little bit on the

page to really get going. Instead of staring atthe blank page and getting more and moreupset, just try writing whatever comes tomind. Allow your thoughts to go wherever

they may and pay no attention to grammarand spelling. The website OneWord is greatto challenge yourself. This website will giveyou a single word and you have one minute

to freewrite about that word.

READ A BOOKEnglish playwright Ben Jonson is

quoted as saying, “For a man towrite well, there are required three

necessaries: to read the bestauthors, observe the best speakers,

and much exercise of his own style,”so pick up a new book. Immerseyourself in a story and expose

yourself to new ideas.

KEEP A JOURNAL

Every day you should carry with you a small notepad

to record your thoughts and ideas to bring out when

you’re faced with writer’s block. We’ve all thought of

great ideas, but over the course of a day, those ideas

can be lost. Even if you don’t end up using the ideas

you came up with, they may jog your creativity and

make you think of something else.

Don’t suffer the pain of writer’s

block, and don’t let it hinder

whether or not you complete that

novel!