Don't Know What to Write About? - Ideas and Tips to Help Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

Today my husband attended a conference in Lansing, Michigan which is about an hour and a half away from our home. Although he was leaving at 5 a.m., I really wanted to get away, even if only for a day, so I decided to tag along. Although I didn't know what to expect, I grabbed my laptop in hopes that the conference center had wi-fi and I could spend the entire day writing. Unfortunately, the conference center charged $100 a day for internet access, so it was either waste the day or pay the 100 bucks. I opted for neither and grabbed a visitor's guide and headed for the public library to see if I could access the internet from there. They didn't have internet access, but on the way I snapped photos of the Capital Building. Just a few blocks away I found a wonderful little cozy coffee shop with internet access. I enjoyed a torte while writing and boy were my creative juices flowing. Later in the afternoon I decided to check out Lansing Community College. I had a quick chat with a Chemistry professor (I think he realized I was not a student and decided to vent about the poor exam results) and then headed for the library. They had a wonderful little cubby whole where I could sit and work and they of course had free internet access. Again, I found myself really motivated and excited to write.

I used to pick one day of the week to work at the library or a coffee house. Once the winter came I stopped doing that. This last trip to Lansing has inspired me to once again explore a change of scenery periodically to inspire creativity and focus. In the summer I hope to head to the beach because one of our beaches has gone wireless. Isn't that great? You might want to check out places in your area where you can work and enjoy your environment. Here are some other tips/ideas to consider -

1. Do you have a camera phone? I do. It's funny but I take pictures of things to inspire me and help me write about them later. Like today when I took pictures of the Capital Building, from those photos I hope to develop a story. I also took photos of a man protesting about The National Day of Prayer - again, another potential story. Always be prepared for a great photo which can lead to a great story.

2. Carry around a notepad, and also keep one in your car. When a thought or idea hits you, jot it down. I can't tell you how many great story ideas I've lost because I didn't write my ideas down. You might also want to try a small voice recorder instead of a notepad.

3. Read the newspaper, especially the editorial section. Do you agree or disagree with the editor? What about the letters or comments to the editor? Reading this section can really spark a fire for a great editorial. Although Associated Content doesn't usually pay for editorials, you can get bonuses and exposure from editorials.

4. Recently I was really inspired by the story of the 95 year old lady graduating from college. It inspired me to think about all of the interesting and successful people around me. I am now very convinced that there are some people I should interview and write about. Let's not pass up on the opportunity to interview everyday people who have overcome great obstacles and have an inspiring story to tell. They'll love telling their story and others will enjoy reading about it.

5. What are you knowledgeable about? I believe we all overlook the great vast of potential articles in our repertoire by not appreciating our wealth of knowledge. Maybe you've been told you have a green thumb. Well, everybody doesn't. Some people are struggling to keep their plants alive so why don't you write about tips for keeping household plants alive. Possibly you've found a way to get your kids to go to bed without them whining or climbing out of bed 5-6 times. Your knowledge is a gold mine to others who are crying - help! Associated Content is a way for you to help others solve their everyday problems if you'd just write about it.