Writing exercises to start your day

Have you ever sat at your computer staring at a blank screen thinking that you just cannot write today? The words won’t come, any that do certainly aren’t the right ones, and you feel that you have lost the ability to write; maybe you’ll never write again.

What you need to do is write something, anything, and get your creative mind warmed up. Writing anything that comes to mind will be effective however for some it can be difficult to write without a focus or purpose.

Below are five exercises you can use before your writing sessions to get warmed up. When you attempt them do not think about spelling, grammar, or even finding just the right word. Just start writing and don’t stop until you have finished.

Set yourself ten minutes for each exercise; use a timer if you have one.

1)      Imagine you have just walked into your local shop to discover there is no-one else there. You look around but it is completely empty of people. Describe the scene. How do you feel? What do you do? Do you know why the shop is empty?

2)      You are about to take an exam; you hate exams but you need to pass in order to get a much wanted promotion. There are others in the room, each wanting the same thing – the job you are after. Some people you know some you don’t. Describe what you are thinking as you walk into the room, look around and take your seat.

3)      Write a character profile for a hero. Your hero is about to take on a multi-national food company. Your hero believes that this food company has been using illegal and potentially harmful chemicals to improve the look and taste of their food products. Consider their age, background, motivation, flaws and any other characteristics that will make your character come to life.

4)      You have just seen an alien spaceship land in your back garden. You try to tell others but no-one believes you. Write a dialogue between you and a person you are trying to convince that immediate action needs to be taken.

5)      You are driving home one night; there is a detour sign and you have to take a different route. As you are driving you realise that you do not recognise anything you see despite this being only minutes from home. You are unable to find your way. Write a passage or two about this journey.

You can reuse these exercises several times using a different approach each time. Give them a go and warm that creative mind up. You’ll be back to your project in no time.

Happy writing.