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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Dealing With Wordlessness


Let's face it. We all have days when we cannot think of anything to blog about. We want to be informative, but feel like we have exhausted our wealth of knowledge in our previous blog posts. We want to be funny, but it looks like we've gone through our repertoire of jokes. We want to be deep and thought provoking, but our well is dry and we have nothing to offer.

Ever been there?

So what's a gal to do when she has no words?
  1. She blogs about having no words. Hey, there's a new concept! Write about what you are experiencing at the moment. Let your experience dictate what you write. 
  2. Read the newspaper. Check out the news online. What's happening in the writing world? Publishing world? Author world? News is fodder for discussion.
  3. Do a book review. People are always wanting to find a new author or read a fabulously gripping book. Share your favorites!
  4. Try doing Google Alerts. You can set up alerts to any news regarding any subject. This is similar to #2.
  5. Check out Twitter Trends to know what people are talking about.
  6. Share excerpts from your favorite authors or possibly one of your own.
  7. Design your own book cover and share it with the world.
  8. Review your favorite writing books.
  9. Do a MAD LIB...nonsense...pure nonsense.
  10. Take the day off and read a book. 
So there's a list of Ten things you can do when you are stuck without any ideas. Now if you see any of these ideas here at The Writer's Alley on Tuesdays, you will know that I HAVE NO WORDS!!!! 

Actually, I'm hoping to get my head on straight now that August is over and I am back to my regular work hours. Who knows, maybe I can write some riveting posts that will inspire and motivate you to follow your dream full force. Or at least make you roll your eyes a bit. 

Sherrinda

15 comments:

  1. Good tips. I try to keep a small list of one word ideas near my laptop in case one week I'm really percolating for the next time I'm off.... :O)

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  2. Love your list, Sherrinda! Especially the mad libs. That used to be my family's favorite car activity on vacations. :)

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  3. Great list. I actually did that once, wrote a post when I had nothing to write. I think it turned out pretty good actually. Funny, did you read the weekend edition or something, this is exactlly what I said you were going to do. Weird.

    Buwahahahahaha!

    Can't do it as good as you. ;)

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  4. Great list! I especially like the idea of 6 and 8!

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  5. Thanks Sherrinda. I may have to fall back on one of those ideas for next week. Our weekend edition writer is asking for ideas early--Gack--thinking ahead of time--NOoooooooo!

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  6. I'm bookmarking this list. As my brain begins to fizzle from all this editing I'm sure I will need it:)

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  7. Diane, a one word list is a GREAT idea! I will have to employ that one!

    Sarah, MAD LIBS!!!!! Aren't they fun? They are so dumb they make me laugh. ;)

    Casey, you must know that you were the inspiration for my post. Annnd you do the laugh EXTREMELY well. Seriously....great job!

    Mary...I think I saw that we were supposed to submit our ideas early. Ummm, that would really mess up my track record if I let someone know what I was really posting about. What is that deadline anyway?????

    Tamika. Oh goodness, girl, you can think up better ideas than me! Most of mine were silly! lol

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  8. GREAT tips, esp. the book review!
    Hope y'all check out my place today for a bittersweet side of the writer's life.

    Blessings,
    Patti

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  9. For me, there is almost always too much going on, and I simply can't focus on one thing, and I can't think of what to blog about, consequently. I'm working on discovering a doable blog routine.

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  10. Hi Sherrinda -

    #10 is my favorite. :)

    Blessings,
    Susan

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  11. Patti, I did check out the poem on your blog! It was hauntingly beautiful.

    Jill, I know exactly what you mean. Life gets so fast and furious and your brain just can't take anymore. I tend to escape in tv and movies when life gets like that. Now that I've begun writing, reading books is sometimes work, because I am more critical. Hence the TV time. :)

    Susan, I like #10 too! In fact that is what I did Monday. I thought...holiday = reading time! lol

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  12. Another way to put #1: Write what you know.
    Works for me!

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  13. LOVE Madlibs.
    Fabulous idea.
    and I'm with Jill - I have so much going on in my head, sometimes it's difficult to figure out WHAT to blog about.
    Or the other factor
    Time...or lack thereof. Plenty of ideas, but not a lot of time.
    I created Lame Blog Post Day - just for that reason :-)

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  14. Great tips Sherrinda! I love your posts and you never make me roll my eyes. :-)

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