I must admit that I am the worst when it comes to writer's block. I will go for a long time without writing because I just have no clue what to write about. Especially since I have a writing competition coming up, I'd like to keep in mind some tips in case I get stuck on what to write about.

Writing is a wonderful experience, and it stinks when that experience gets mundane or stuck in your head. Hopefully, these tips will help you out:

1. Step away.

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The best thing to do when you're stuck with anything is to step away. You're not giving up or procrastinating; you're resetting your brain so it can function properly. Don't worry about the deadline or whatever; make the time to step away. Once you step away and forget about it for a minute or two, you'll be refreshed and ready to face whatever you need to do. This could be a good time to consume instead of create. Go watch a movie or read a book. Taking in that information will end up helping you with your own writing project.

2. Write whatever.

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It doesn't have to be what you're planning on writing. It doesn't have to be a rough draft. You could literally sit down and write a grocery list. Just write! Write everything down. Don't worry if it stinks, don't stop to edit or think about what to write next, and don't ever let that pen leave the paper. You need to get you're writing muscles going after that break you took. Just let anything you have in your head flow through your hand onto the page.

3. Make notes.

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Tip #2 is the general writing practice. This is a little more refined. Once you've dumped everything out onto the piece of paper in front of you, it's time to look at what you've got. Again, you may not have written about your topic, so the stuff you mentally threw up onto the page can't really help you much. That's fine! Just make notes of what you'd like to accomplish through this writing. What's the end goal? Are there any requirements? What are some things you'd like to show up in this work? You can even use the art you consumed to help you figure out some elements to incorporate into your work. What did you like/dislike about what you consumed? How did the story inspire you? Anything at all, make a note of it. From those notes, you can begin writing.

If you've made it to the third step and you still can't think of what to write, feel free to start from the beginning. Sometimes, it can take a lot to get your brain running in the right direction. That's okay! Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to do what you need to do. Writing can be tough, and coming up with an idea can oftentimes be the toughest part about it. Take your time. You'll think of something.

I hope that these tips were helpful. Good luck and happy writing!