I’m not a big fan of what some call ‘writers block.’ Typically it’s an excuse not to write at all.  If you’re going to make authorship a career then treat it like any other. Write. Not when you feel like it, not when the spirit moves you, not every other day or when you get the laundry done. Be disciplined and write.

That being said, I know what it’s like to come to a dead end on a book or other writing project and need to step back. In those cases I write something else. Sometimes it’s a blog, a book review, I work on another project, or even write a letter to a relative or friend. Not a FB post or Instagram or Tweet, an actual letter more than two paragraphs long!

A new perspective can sometimes open the floodgates of creativity. Move your laptop outside, a coffee shop, a park bench. I don’t recommend a swimming pool, but that’s a story for another time.

I’m late to the game discovering journals with writing prompts. I’ve looked at quite a few, and realizing we all have different taste, there are some with mushy prompts, some with fantastical or religious prompts, and some that deal with everyday life. I tend to like those and take them to a creative extreme. By using a journal with writing prompts I don’t have to come up with a subject or idea, I can experiment with genres, I can even write poems, and most of mine are pretty goofy.

Where do you find these journals? I found a couple on a website entitled journalswelove.com.  There are four writers on that site that all have different preferences and likes. Take a look at what they have to offer.

Here’s a list of a few journals that I find interesting:

1. 5 Minute Daily Writing Prompts: https://amzn.to/3QBAcbq
2. A Year Of Creative Writing Prompts: https://amzn.to/3zXRqsI
3. 365 Creative Fantasy Writing Prompts: https://amzn.to/3QLghXc
4. Burn After Writing: https://amzn.to/3Pm4i1d
5. 400 Creative Writing Prompts Workbook: https://amzn.to/3zXTroL

The point is — write. Don’t make an excuse, don’t put it off until after you do the dishes, don’t answer the doorbell, and don’t do the laundry. Write. Spark fresh ideas and build up your confidence by practicing the craft. If you’re intending to make a living out of it, write.