Every writer has been there. You sit down to write and nothing comes to mind. You rack your brain for things to write about for a story, but it just doesn’t happen. This can be a real roadblock when you’re in the middle of writing a story. So what do you do when you’re stuck? Here are a few ideas to get the creative juices flowing.
1. Write about a character’s backstory. What made them who they are today? Why do they do the things they do?
2. Write about a different perspective of an event that was already written about. This could be from another character’s point of view, or even from an outsider’s view.
3. Write about a what-if scenario. What if the character made a different choice? What if the event had turned out differently?
4. Write about a memory. This could be a happy memory or a painful one. It could be from the character’s childhood or something that happened more recently.
5. Write about an impossible situation. This could be something like a character being stuck in a place with no way out or having to do something they’re terrified of.
6. Write about a challenge the character has to face. This could be an external challenge, like saving the world from destruction, or an internal challenge, like overcoming a fear.
7. Write about a journey the character goes on. This could be a physical journey to a far-off land or an internal journey of self-discovery.
8. Write about a secret the character is keeping. This could be something they’re ashamed of, or something they’re afraid will be discovered.
9. Write about a relationship the character has. This could be a romantic relationship, a platonic friendship, or a familial bond.
10. Write about a battle the character is fighting. This could be an external battle, like a war, or an internal battle, like a fight against addiction.
11. Write about a change the character is going through. This could be a major life change, like starting a new job, or a small change, like learning to let go of something.
12. Write about a loss the character has suffered. This could be the loss of a loved one, the loss of something they cherish, or the loss of something they once had.
13. Write about a fear the character has. This could be a rational fear, like being afraid of heights, or irrational fear, like being afraid of the dark.
14. Write about a hope the character has. This could be a hope for the future or a hope for something in the present.
15. Write about a dream the character has. This could be a literal dream or a figurative one.
16. Write about an ambition the character has. This could be a long-term goal, like becoming president, or a short-term goal, like winning a race.
17. Write about a regret the character has. This could be a regret from the past, or regret about the present.
18. Write about a memory the character can’t forget. This could be a happy memory that they cherish or a painful memory that haunts them.
19. Write about an event that changed the character’s life. This could be something positive, like winning the lottery, or something negative, like being in a car accident.
20. Write about a lesson the character has learned. This could be a life lesson, like the importance of family, or a more trivial lesson, like never to trust a snake.
21. Write about a place the character has been. This could be a real place, like Paris, or a fictional place, like Wonderland.
22. Write about an object that is important to the character. This could be something with sentimental value, like a family heirloom, or something with practical value, like a weapon.
23. Write about a hobby the character has. This could be something they enjoy doing for fun, like playing the guitar or something they do to relax, like gardening.
24. Write about a talent the character has. This could be something they’re naturally good at, like singing, or something they’ve worked hard to achieve, like being a master chef.
25. Write about an achievement the character is proud of. This could be something big, like winning a gold medal, or something small, like finally learning to ride a bike.
26. Write about a time the character was embarrassed. This could be something that happened recently or something that happened long ago.
27. Write about a time the character was disappointed. This could be because they didn’t get what they wanted, or because they realized something they wanted was impossible.
28. Write about a time the character was surprised. This could be because something good happened, or because something bad happened.
29. Write about a time the character was happy. This could be because something they’ve been waiting for finally happened, or because they had a great day.
30. Write about a time the character was sad. This could be because something they care about is ending, or because they’re going through a tough time.
