Busting writer's block: Creativity-boosting writing exercises to get you going

Many of us suffer from a lack of confidence when engaging in creative projects, assuming that – to be any good – a piece of work has to wholly originate in some almost mystical act of inspiration. Anyone who works professionally as a writer will often simply realise that a looming deadline is the greatest spur to creativity.

There are no rules to being an effective writer, and when working with students I spend quite a lot of time helping them discover the times and places when they work best. For some, inspiration is most likely to strike when in they’re able to observe the bustle of life; for others it comes during absolute quiet, when the family is asleep or (in my own case) when walking. That said, whatever sparks your desire to write, you need to be able to turn it into a habit if you’re going to succeed.

The following simple exercises will help you strip away the mystery from the craft of writing. Grab a pen and paper – or your laptop – and give these a whirl…

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