Ideas (When Your Creative Stream Is About as Dry as Last Week's Cupcakes

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    A Nanowrimo month ended yesterday and I'm here to give my report. Of which being zero. This was a really busy, hectic month for me. I went on vacation, worked at a summer camp, and had surgery. Needless to say, I didn't have a novel ready by the end. Or the beginning for that matter. I had, to put it lightly, writer's block. All my ideas fell through.
    While I was on vacation however, I decided to try and force an idea out of my brain. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not exactly a 'take a stroll and find inspiration person'. I'd get distracted by the puppy on the corner. So on the car ride there, I closed my eyes and let my mind roam free for awhile. It's funny how the ride mood, and the right tricks can get your creative juices flowing! I now have a WIP I feel really confident about, and I hope it'll be ready by November's Nano. 
    "How do you force stories out of your brain, Kit?" you ask. Well, that's what I'm here to share. Let's get started. Whip out your notebooks, laptops, phones, i-pads, or even palms, and take notes, my muffin friends. 

      1) Tell me a story....
        On a lazy afternoon, a long car ride, or even just on the hammock outside while relaxing,       close your eyes and tell your mind to spin a bedtime story! It sounds silly but it works for me. My     brain starts thinking of a tale to help me fall asleep, but it quickly becomes a plot to interesting to drift off to!

        2) Read what you want to write....
            A cliche solution, but a valid one! If you're short on ideas, pull out a new book, or better yet, a favorite one, and lose yourself in the story. It'll remind you what plots you love, what it is about writing that inspires you, and maybe even spark an idea for a new story!

     3) Look up some prompts....
             Before you say 'Kit, everyone says that!', hear me out. I'm not saying write the prompts. I'm saying look them up. Reading prompts is effective! My mind immediately drifts off on a plot idea, and if I quickly read a few more, I eventually have my head crammed with a few new ideas. It's all about trying to open the door just a bit, and the creative pressure will soon blow it right open.
   
       4) Have some tea with old friends....
           Look back at some of your old projects. The inspiration boards you made, the character questions you filled out, the random dialogue you have lying around. It might get you in enough of a writing mood to scribble down some other ideas. Or maybe, it'll spark some editing! (Run while you can)
       5) Start with the character....
        Grab some character questions, and develop a new lead to a story! A plot might very well be born from one of the answers you write to a character questionnaire! Some people prefer to start with the plot, but I know from experience that some MCs prefer to write their own story. *cough* mine.

         That's just a few of the tips I have. In short, keep trying until something works for you! There are plenty of ideas trapped in your head, I promise. I'm going to try and keep outlining my story. I might even do some posts on HOW I outline! Is anyone interested in that?
           God bless,
               Kit 💝
   

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