Barren wasteland with no ideas.

[Nerdygalwithabook]

I need to write. I feel the urge.
However my confidence has been knocked and I'm a bit stuck.
I find it better to write when I have a task to write about. Anyone got any tips or ideas to help me out of this slump?

Ooh er - that's a tricky one.

What do you like to read? I think often, we read the kind of things we like to write..

They say write what you know - I think write what you care about is also true. What's on your mind/worrying you right now? If not you, then how about the people around you, what are they going through?

Maybe take a look at competitions, they can often give you a prompt and a deadline, with the hope of a prize!

Or think about something like 'the decision', 'the wrong choice' or 'the secret' and see if that gets you thinking.

Good luck!

I hear you, buddy.

I love writing, and in my capacity as a teacher I have an endless stream of ideas for other people. My imagination knows no bounds when I'm suggesting what kids could write about.

For myself? Not so much.

I'm better when attending a class. Deadlines really help.

Helmetbymidnight
I know about MH issues etc, but as much as I can describe the feelings there isn't really a storyline I can go through.

YvaineStormhold
Ahh you understand it! Deadlines do help!

I've just read a wonderful YA book, 'Am I normal yet?' by Holly Bourne. The main character has OCD and it's about her struggles.

If that's what you are interested in, at the moment, I bet you could write something very powerful. Perhaps a woman is hiding issues from her partner, or at work, or family or something? Perhaps, someone is watching someone else trying to cope with MH issues...

Thats a great idea. I had the idea of writing a book with the perspectives from a group of people, each one representing a mental illness. The problem is the storyline. Maybe just regular life.

Sounds great.

You could have them meeting up for their sessions - and then going their separate ways. That way you could have an interesting contrast with them being honest - or not - at their sessions and then in their home-lives.

That would be quite a simple structure like in - 'The Jane Austen book group?' or 'Book Club?' by Elizabeth Noble.

There is a growing interest in MH everywhere. It would be great to read fiction sympathetically exploring it.

That's great! Can I steal the idea?!

All ideas are up for grabs- it is your unique execution of anything that makes it individual and special.

Get writing!

I remember once thinking about a murder happening with a single witness that no one believes because of their mental health. I am leaving it here with no more details because I am suddenly fond of the idea, but should it spark an idea, go ahead and write it.

Oh! And my situation is the opposite, I have plenty of ideas but before they can grow, I get another... And even when I have enough to write, I detest actually writing... Is there such a job as an idea-seller?

My ideas always seem to come to me at inopportune times or when I'm driving, I put them all in the notes part of my phone for future reference. Sometimes it's just the words of a song, anything really that might lead to an idea but then when I'm sitting down to start a new book I have some springboards to start from.

Tyrion, unfortunately ideas are the easy bit - the trickiest part of writing a novel is the execution!