Free tools for Writers: inspiration
I'm starting a series identifying some free online tools to help with your writing. Most of them will be tools that I use regularly.
If you're stuck staring at a blank page, then there are a number of sites that can provide inspiration:
Writing Prompts
idea generator: if you're not sure what happens next in your writing, or want interesting ideas to use as a starting point, the Idea Generator is a great tool. You can select prompts from a range of categories such as: Fears; Plot Complications; Quirks to help overcome a rut.
The story starter: This site generates a random first line for a story. My first try came up with this result: 'The retired drummer watered the lawn close to the huge truck four days ago to clear the record.'
Creative writing prompts: this site offers a range of prompts, ideas, story starters to get your writing flowing.
Some of my previous blogs have also looked at ways to get going with your writing, and include prompts, and links to more sites that offer writing prompts;
https://penrose-enterprise.wixsite.com/writelink/single-post/2016/09/15/More-Writing-prompts
https://penrose-enterprise.wixsite.com/writelink/single-post/2016/02/20/Writing-Prompts
Writing Competitions
Writing competitions can be a great spur to creativity, and even if you enter and don't win, you'll still have a story written. As these have deadlines, they can be great motivators. I usually search for lists of competitions at the start of each year, and I add those that appeal to me to my calendar, with reminders for me to work on a piece. I tend to opt for those that are free to enter.
Often, the theme or topic of the competition offers great ideas for writing.
You can see listings here:
Christopher Felden's list of writing competitions
Strategies to get you writing:
Chuck Sambuchino offers some great tips to overcome writer's block, many of which will also work to get you writing, such as Free Writing. The Writer's Digest Website is a goldmine of information to help with your writing.
The Lit Reactor - this is another great site, and the article in this link offers a range of strategies to get you writing.
I've also written about writer's block in the past: https://penrose-enterprise.wixsite.com/writelink/single-post/2017/02/18/Is-writers-block-real and a number of my blog posts offer strategies that I have found effective in getting me writing again.
And a little word of warning - don't allow yourself to become too distracted by the internet, so that you never get any writing done!
I hope these tools will help you. Happy writing!