Author, author!

How to find inspiration and start writing

I am sitting in front of my computer screen, my keyboard is ready to start, but I am not... I am stuck... I don't know where to start, how to proceed and in which style to finish. Does this relate to you? Have you ever experienced lack of inspiration while writing?

Let's say more: what if you have to write in a foreign language? Whatever it is, be it an essay, a report, a menu, a show script, or an email, there are moments of getting stuck and feeling that you have no ideas at all.

Still, there is something that can be done to beat the stagnation and bring creative energy back to life.

1. Sit down comfortably, avoid all the possible distractions.

2. Turn on the music, e.g. a playlist that makes you feel good and relaxed. 

3. Don't write! Draw! Scratching and scribbling are just as good. The idea is not to make a perfect picture but to stimulate creativity.

4. Now, think of a project you are up to. Welcome any ideas, write them down without criticism.

5. Next step: elaborate your ideas. Now that you have plenty of them, there is something to work on, and you know you can be good at it.

In case you need help with organising your thoughts in a foreign language or proofreading, here is what you can do.

1. Consult a dictionary to check the spelling, as well as to find synonyms that might occur useful and make your text less repetitive.
2. Contact your teacher and get your writing corrected.

3. Send a copy to your language exchange partner (a native speaker) and ask to proofread it for you.

Welcome to your creativity and language learning!
Good luck with your writing!