Flowers San Pedro

Writer's Block can strike like a King Cobra, paralyzing every little golden nugget you try to create. What can you do to lick it? Below are some fun suggestions to crack the nut! (write about each prompt for twenty minutes)

1) Take yourself to the local coffee shop and eavesdrop. Write in present tense the overheard conversation.

2) Take a walk in nature. Breathe deeply. While outside, write about: weeds blowing in the breeze, bees buzzing, flowers blooming, leaves rustling, or rain, sleet or ladybugs! Just write in nature.

3) Open the dictionary to any page, pick five random words and incorporate them into a story.

4) Make it fun -- go out for Chinese food--write in response to the fortune cookie

5) Tune into a country western radio station. Using the lyris from a song as prompt, begin writing.

6) Go to the spice rack. Grap a couple of spice containers and put them on the counter. With closed eyes, smell one spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, curry powder) write about the first thing that pops into your mind.

7) Check your local newspaper and write in response to an ad in the personals.

8) Grab the family album. Find a picture and write for twenty minutes. It can be fiction, creative non-fiction or non fiction.

9) Make a list poem--beaches, sand, ocean, periwinkles, starfish, etc., then pick one noun and write for twenty minutes.

10) Maybe it's time for a pity party. Get together with a few other writers and cry over dangling participles!

Cindy Fisher-Luck, MA, CPCC is a coach who specializes in helping writers do just that--write. She works with her clients to find their inspiration, make their writing a priority and reach their personal and writing goals. Usually this involves getting one's life in balance and deciding what's most important and making the changes needed to live the life you want. In addition Cindy coaches women and men in finding meaning and work/life balance. She can be reached at 925-648-3115 or at