Writer’s block? Get over it!

We always laugh when bloggers tell us they suffer from writer’s block. It’s a bit like my garage telling me: ‘Sorry, we can’t fix your car today. I’ve got mechanic’s block.’

Bloggers with writer’s block usually end up either gritting their teeth and getting some ideas, or giving up.

We tell our blogging course students that they must learn how to deliver, even when they’re ‘blocked’, uninspired or feeling like they can’t be bothered.

But if you’re stuck for idea ideas, try this exercise. Do it daily:

Go to any regional paper website.
List five of its main stories.
Write three good ideas for follow-up features for each one. For instance, here’s one story from the Independent

And here are three potential ideas:

Sweet 16. Is it the same as it used to be?
Do we mollycoddle our teenagers? Did a holiday abroad really need to involve the police?
Love will find a way. Extreme measures young people use to be alone.

This exercise will give you ‘ideas’ practice. And you will be able to use some of these as posts It doesn’t take long to get a flow going.

When you’re starting out, you could write about;