5 ways to move your writing from stuck to go, go, flow

Lists are great when you want to buy groceries or start a letter with Dear Santa- so how can they help with writing? Let me count the ways!

Here’s a, well, a list.

1. With your character in mind, list, in order, his or her morning routine. What are all of the things s/he does before leaving the house for the day?
2. List all of your character’s pet peeves. What does s/he hate about these things? Is there a common theme?
3. List all of your character’s favorite games as a child? Is there a common thread? Problem solving? Bossiness?
   
4. List all of the places your character went on vacation or would’ve preferred to go on vacation as a child.
5. If you could ask your character what keeps him or her up at night, what would s/he say? List as many as possible from the trite (why doesn’t my hair grow faster) to the deep (who will come to my funeral).

These prompts work for fiction or memoir–a story in which you are the character. In the case of memoir, some of these prompts may help you dig deeper into your own past and discover scenes or moments you’d forgotten about until now.

Please comment below and let me know your best writing prompt tricks. Oh, and speaking of games, my cousin created a FABULOUS board game that plays off of the Greek Gods, called Oh My Gods. (He’s so clever, right?) Please check it out here.