Sometimes getting started can be the hardest part of any task and creative writing is no exception. But what do you do if you have been staring at your journal or screen for twenty minutes and haven’t written a thing?

Just like a professional athlete stretches and warms up before a big game, you can do a few writing “warm up” exercises and get those creative juices flowing.

Writing Prompts

When writer’s block has you stumped or you are just having a hard time getting going, try adding your own creative thoughts to a simple writing prompt. Who knows, you may end up finding the initial fodder for a brand new fictional masterpiece.

• 329 Writing Prompts
  This simple site had all kinds of great prompts to get your creative juices flowing. Simple ideas but highly effective, just hover, think and write!
  http://creativewritingprompts.com/
• Writer’s Digest Prompts
  Here are a few more great prompts for waking up your brain and putting words on paper. This list features about 100 great writing prompts.
  http://www.writersdigest.com/WritingPrompts/

Challenge
When you have a relaxed day and can find a few minutes to write, start a list of any and all ideas you can think of. Don’t spend too much time on any one, the idea here is just to list out as many as you can. Use this list of your own prompts to give you a boost when you get stuck.

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

There are dozens and dozens of great photography sites out there but here are a few that feature some great pictures worth writing about:

• 92 Must See Creative Photographs
  Check out this great blog post from JustCreativeDesign.com. It features 92 amazing creative photographs. Some are funny, some are dramatic, but all are sure to help you starting thinking creatively.
  http://justcreativedesign.com/2008/04/08/creative-photographs/
• Geoff Ross Photography
  Amazingly beautiful landscape photography. What an amazing planet we live on, you can’t help but be inspired by his photos.
  http://www.geoffrossphotography.com/index.php
• 50 Stunning Architectural Photographs
  FromSmashingapps.com this blog post features 50 of the most stunning architectural photographs we have ever seen.
  http://www.smashingapps.com/2009/03/22/50-stunning-examples-of-architecture-photography.html

Challenge
Even if you are not a photographer you can still learn to see the world in a way that will help to inspire your writing.When you are looking for inspiration, try looking at your surroundings in a new way. Look at them upside down or sideways, or try looking at them through a colored-glass bottle or paper towel tube. Finding new ways to look at the things you see everyday can help you to find new creative ideas everywhere you look!

Use All Your Senses

Sparks of creative genius can come from more than just visual stimulation. Another great way to make sure help spark your creativity is to get up and go do something that involves one of more of your senses.

• A Nose Knows
  While I don’t recommend you go canine and start sniffing  people or everything around you, do start becoming aware of the odors and scents you encounter on your regular day and use them to feed ideas. Read this great post from RouseYour Muse.com for more idea: http://www.rousingyourmuse.com/creativity-and-your-senses-2.html

• Now Hear This!
  It would be obscene of me to talk about sparking creativity without mentioning music and sound. Music and creative writing have gone hand in hand since their practical creation. And we have no shortage of resources for finding and listening to all kinds of music, so close your eyes and open your ears for a little inspiration.Check out this great site for some interesting and subtle white noise.
  http://www.iserenity.com/environments.htm

  Or browse this list of 60 great music sites: http://www.webupon.com/Audio/Music-Rules-2-Top-60-Music-Websites-That-Deliver-the-Greatest-Free-Music.132133

• The Taste of Creativity
  This is perhaps one of the most adventurous senses but with some of the most power thought provoking abilities. Food and our sense of taste has a huge impact on our memory, which in turn can have a dramatic effect on how we see and react in our current setting.

Nobody plays with their food better than kids. This article was aimed at preschoolers, some of the most creative folks on the planet.  C’mon learn how to make your face and eat it too!’
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=646

Flavor tripping anyone? They can be hard to come by, but if you can get them, these little berries can take you on a flavor adventure that is sure to kick your creativity into overdrive! Check out this great article from The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/dining/28flavor.html

Challenge: Find new ways to feel, taste, hear, see, and smell the world around you. Try closing your eyes while you eat your lunch or pick out your clothes only by using your sense of touch. Improving your ability to observe your surroundings using all of your senses, and then using those observations to spice up your writing can help to make the stories your write a much richer experience for your readers.

These are just a few ideas to rev up your creative engines and help you to just start writing. I’d love to hear any other ideas you have or techniques you’ve used to imagine new story ideas. Feel free to post in the comments section below or join our group Fiction Writers and share your ideas.