I'm always a big proponent of creative writing and showcasing your creativity to the masses. However, like every writer before me and (probably) every writer after me, I always get terrible bouts of writer's block, which can be difficult to shake. Recently, I stumbled upon a few books that help combat writer's block while also offering an introspective look at yourself as a person. So check them out below!
1) I Am Incomplete Without You by Iain Sinclair Thomas
This is an interactive poetry journal written by the author of "I Wrote This For You". If you haven't read the poetry anthology, you absolutely should. But, we're here to combat writer's block. So, for starters, this book has some deep instructions like "write on this page at 3am" and some very enlightening lists such as writing a list of the things you love and the things you fear (keeping the list of things you fear shorter than that of which you love). Prompts like these are sure to get the creative juices flowing and have you really looking into yourself for inspiration.
*Disclaimer: this is considered an interactive poetry journal, but you can really use it with or without being a poet.*
2) 365 Writing Prompts
These books can virtually be found anywhere, but I found mine at my local Barnes and Noble. This book is filled with, you guessed it, 365 writing prompts. Whether you feel like writing everyday or you only want to use it to combat writer's block, this book is perfect for just that. These prompts range from silly ("what would you say to Dorothy if you met her on the yellow brick road") to heavier prompts ("write about something you regret"). These prompts will get you thinking, laughing, and most importantly, writing.
3) Dream Journals
While I haven't personally done this in years, I know several people who keep a journal by their bed in case they wake up in the middle of the night to record a dream that they had. I've heard quite a few people say that dreams are the subconscious sending messages to us in our sleep, but, whether you believe in that or not, keeping a dream journal may just send you on a creative spark. Your weirdest night's dream could end up being your first fictional bestseller.
4) Keeping a Journal
Keeping a journal can be therapeutic in that it gives you a safe space to recollect yourself after a long day or can spark a creative idea in you. As a writer, you probably get most of your ideas from the things that happen in your everyday life, so keeping a record of that, could spark into an amazing idea. Or one day, you can publish your inner monologue in a diary, exposing all the people who helped and hurt you along the way.
5) Wreck This Journal and Wreck This Journal Everywhere by Keri Smith
While this is more popular for the younger ages, it can really be helpful for writer's block. Along with writing prompts, you're also encouraged to ruin this journal. Draw pictures, bend pages, rip out pages, etc. the journal is all what you make it. You may never publish what you put inside of it but you never know what kind of creative spark will come out of just messing around with a journal.
Whether you're just facing a bout of writer's block or just looking to get a little bit of inspiration, take some of these into consideration and let the creative juices flow!
