The Writer’s Inspiration Checklist by Bryan Cohen

Hello friends!

It is my pleasure to introduce to you today Bryan Cohen, an author, creative coach and actor. Bryan recently released a new book, 1000 Creative Writing Prompts, Volume 2: More Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More. Bryan will be guest blogging here today. Please, join him below:

How do you get inspired to write? Do you have your best ideas right before you go to bed, while you’re in the shower or at another inconvenient time? Is there a way to channel your creativity so that it comes when you’re ready to put it to paper?

When you’re having a hard time getting inspired to write, this handy little checklist may help you. Below, you’ll find five yes or no questions related to your inspiration. If you answer no for any of the questions, take the action necessary to change your answer to yes.

The Writer’s Inspiration Checklist

1. Is every non-creative item checked off your to-do list?

Sometimes, it’s difficult to write if you have other things on your mind. Try getting your other chores off your to-do list to get your creative juices flowing.

2. Have you moved in the last two hours?

If you’ve been stationary for several hours, you may not be getting your brain the oxygen it needs for inspiration. Try exercising or taking a walk around the block to get you going.

3. Would you describe your mood as calm?

There are authors who say they can only write when they’re passionate. I’m not one of them. If I’m too anxious or angry, I can’t write. Take some deep breaths, meditate or listen to relaxing music to get yourself in the right state to be inspired.

4. Do you know what you want to write?

I like to refer to the energy that comes along with a goal as purpose energy. If you don’t have a goal for your writing session or an overall goal for the month or year, you may miss out on that inspiring purpose energy. Set a goal, write it down and work to achieve it.

5. Are there at least three ways you could be distracted right now?

If you’re in a location full of distractions, it’s in your best interest to go somewhere else. If your laptop has multiple kinds of online notifications, it’s best for you to turn off the Wi-Fi. If nobody needs you for the next couple of hours, it’s best for your creativity to shut down your phone for a bit. Inspiration is much more likely to come your way if you’re not distracted.

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There are plenty of additional questions you could ask yourself, but these are my top five. Inspiration is not as hard as people make it out to be. It’s getting yourself balanced and isolated enough to write that’s the challenge. Take this checklist for a test drive during your next week of writing sessions. If you do, inspiration may be right around the corner just waiting to be discovered.

Friends, in honor of his new book, Cohen is hosting the “1,000 Prompts, 1,000 Dollars” Writing Contest on his website. Click the link to find out how to enter!  You can also check out the rest of Cohen’s tour here.

About the Book

Creative writing prompts are short questions or situations that are meant to inspire you to write. Far beyond the typical, “It was a dark and stormy night…” story starters, this new collection of 1,000 prompts has been specifically formulated to dig deep into the creative process. The prompts employ thought-provoking questions, imaginative scenarios and humor to help writers of all ages defeat writer’s block. Author Bryan Cohen’s previous books of writing prompts have sold more than 20,000 copies and include multiple Amazon best-sellers. Through his books and his website Build Creative Writing Ideas, Cohen has helped countless writers, teachers and students to blast through the blank page and the blinking cursor to create blogs, scripts, stories and more! It’s time to stop thinking and start writing. Get this book on your physical or digital shelf today.

About the Author

Bryan Cohen is an author, a creativity coach and an actor. His new book, 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts, Volume 2: More Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More is now available on Amazon in digital and paperback format. His other books include 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts, The Post-College Guide to Happiness, and Ted Saves the World. He has published over 30 books, which have sold more than 20,000 copies in total. Connect with him on his website, Build Creative Writing Ideas, on Facebook or on Twitter.

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