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Writer's pictureS. A. Crow

Writing When You Don't Know What to Write About



Three suggestions and explanations of each that will help you write articles & stories.


As a writer who publishes nonfiction and fiction, I often need extra boosts to motivate me to write a story. I didn’t niche down in Medium, but I have specialized lists of topics that go together. Outside of that, I write what feels proper for the day. You also want to capture any trending and appealing writing topics to maximize your clicks and reader engagement.


Some days, my imagination is screaming, because it doesn’t want to come up with anything for me to write at all. Unfortunately, to be successful at anything, you need practice and consistency. So, I need to get something out. What do I do?


Here are 3 suggestions that I have personally used to help me overcome minor writer’s block to continue publishing stories every week.


Hopefully, my suggestions will help you kick-start your ideas. Remember, you need to personalize these prompts in your unique way.


Regular Writing Prompts


Writing prompts are an excellent tool for sparking creativity and inspiration. They help writers overcome writer’s block and delve into extra levels of imagination. Where can you find writing prompts?


I’ve found them using social media to actually look up the term Writing Prompts. Sometimes, you can find them by adding the theme or genre as well. For example:


Writing Prompts…


Writing Prompts Horror


Writing Prompts Romance


Writing Prompts Current Events


Ideas that BUZZ


If you’re writing articles that deal with current events, there are other prompts available. I write a lot of opinion pieces that include my take on current events. Reading, watching, or listening to news outlets can influence your next article. I look at cultural trends and seasonal elements that will shape the trends and therefore keywords of the moment.


For this, you can also dive into online forums, social media platforms, and writing communities. These are usually full of people discussing the most recent trends and social issues. Find topics that are generating a lot of buzz and check them for SEO viability.


Once you know there is an audience for the topic and you’ve got the proper keywords to give the audience a map to your article, all that’s left is to write. This isn’t just for hot topic political and social news. This works for holidays, seasonal activities, popular genres, and emerging writing trends.


Using Art to Drive Your Writing


How can you use art to drive your ideas? Easy! Now, these prompts are more for fiction, in my opinion, than the others. But, I suppose you could use them for non-fiction, especially articles.


Craft a thought-provoking satire that sheds light on the absurdities we face today that challenges norms.


Transport your readers to a different era. Weave captivating historical fiction full of rich details and vivid characters. Or, if there’s a particular portion of history that you like to research, talk about that. You can even fictionalize the things happening in that timeframe.


Take your readers on an adventure to some place they’ve not experienced. Write about travel or locations you’d like to research. Talk about what to expect and warn them about problems they may encounter.


Find a setting within paintings or artwork that spurs your imagination. Come up with a description. Help the reader explore your uncharted territories and encounter unexpected obstacles.


Write a dialogue-driven short story. Explore the complexities, nuances, and misunderstandings associated with things you see in history or in art. If there are two characters in a painting or in a scene from history, create a dialogue between them. This can be funny or serious and thought-provoking.


Make sure no matter which of these suggestions you use, pay attention to the senses. You want your piece, especially fiction, to be sensory-rich. It should evoke the experience of your characters (if you have those) or the subjects. Immerse your readers in a symphony of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures.


Emotions and Personal Experience


Compose a story set in a world dominated by technology. Use our own lives and the technology that enhances and yet also becomes problematic. Explore the complexities and impact of digital connections on relationships.


Reflect on personal experiences and write an essay that delves into navigating through life transitions. Remember to outline the lessons learned along the way.


Express the emotions tied to a random word, smell, place, etc. Whether you are writing an article, short fiction, or a poem, create a heartfelt piece. Touch on what the subject means to you and really dig in to the senses and emotions available to you.


Remember, you don’t have to have credentials to speak as a knowledgeable person in the areas you have experience with. I have a lot of experience with a lot of different topics. I know the ins and outs of those topics and so I can write about them using that experience. You can, too.


Just Remember…


You should accompany each of your articles with a descriptive, attention-grabbing headline. You want to capture your audience’s curiosity and entice them to dive into the journey with you. Choose strong action verbs, intriguing adjectives, and keywords related to the subject. This will maximize their sway on anyone that sees it. Hopefully, this will get readers to click on your article - then it’s up to your writing to keep them engaged.


Remember that if you can use hashtags or tags of any kind, do so. You want your article to appear to the people most interested in the topic. Never choose something that is off-topic as a tag or keyword. Your subject or headlines should pique the interest of your audience.


I hope my listing has sparked your imagination and inspired you to try something different to get yourself writing. Feel free to share your creations, your suggestions, and your challenges with me and other writers in the comments. Happy writing!




Rachel D. Adams is a mod for On the Wings for Writers Group. She's an author and freelance writer.


















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