This might be obvious, but there are tons of writing prompts out there, and if you commit to doing them regularly, even if they're short, you'll start getting your flow back. (If anyone knows a good source, add it below!) It's nice to have the choice of topic made for you, so you don't end up feeling attached to much about it, although you might surprise yourself with what you come up with. I started a weekly virtual group a while back to do exercises as a communal accountability thing, and that really got me excited about writing again. Morning pages were also something mentioned here a while ago.
Basically anything that gets you into the technical habit of writing, so when you want to write about something specific, you'll be practiced and ready! I have found that inspiration has an easier time breaking through to the page when I'm not as rusty. Also, unless you want to submit a piece to a publication that fits a certain guideline, there are no rules. The fewer boxes you try to fit yourself into, the easier it flows!
Related Recs
📃
If I want to just write SOMETHING I'll do some automatic writing. I often get random phrases stuck in my head so I usually start off with one of these and then just... keep going. It doesn't have to make sense it just needs to exist and get you moving. If you get stuck start describing the room, the weather, what you're wearing, what you ate today, etc. being really descriptive with language is always a good exercise.
Tips:
- Don't go into it expecting to write anything good. Maybe you will, maybe you won't, the point is just to write something.
- Don't read it back straight away. Just write and leave it. Come back to it next time you open your journal and see if you can find anything good in there. You might find a good turn of phrase or word you've not used in a while
- Automatic writing is a great way to make use of those words or phrases that you overhear or that get stuck in your head. You might find yourself making sense of them or putting them next to another idea that makes both stronger.
Apr 22, 2024
😃
Before you guys ask, yes I’ve been doing the morning pages from “The Artist’s Way” LOL
Real talk though, the structure of the book has been super helpful in structuring my own creative process, and one of the best possible things it’s done for me so far is to learn how to write and create, even when you’re “not in the mood” or you’re mentally blocked. On the days I can’t think of shit, I just start rambling about gossip and chairs and people watching (or whatever misc thing is on your mind) and all of a sudden a new project idea hit me out of some random association in my brain from years ago that I never touched til now
Anyway yeah, GO WRITE AND CREATE EVEN IF YOU DONT FEEL LIKE IT bc you’ll be surprised at what finds you!!!
Apr 8, 2025
📓
currently working through the artist’s way, and morning pages have quickly become a fav. It’s a steam-of-thought/get everything on the page daily habit. I find it’s great to just get the momentum going if I want to work but I’m stuck on what to do (you can even think through this conflict on the page and brainstorm solutions or figure out why you don’t feel like it). I like to also look through stuff I wrote previously if I had any good ideas I didn’t know what to do with at the time.
Mar 14, 2025
Top Recs from @theclack
The perfect lil snack for when you don’t want a big snack
Apr 3, 2024
Here it is, folks! Volume I of what could very well be a continuous project. Thank you so much to everyone that submitted - I smiled the entire time I was putting this together. It's best listened to with headphones ☺️
Liner Notes:
This collection of field recordings is a collaborative effort with users of PI.FYI, each of which recorded their own pieces. It features audio from all over the world and exhibits eclectic moments from London Underground commutes to cuckoo bird calls in Dhaka to the sounds of a century-old American diner.
Online communities like PI.FYI often represent a diverse set of people, places, and experiences, but together, the submissions form a living collage that highlights the commonalities of modern life - a unifying message for such a tumultuous time. The first track features all of the sounds played at once in an attempt to create an audio snapshot of an online community but in their offline lives.
The individual recordings are unedited except for minor gain and compression adjustments for consistency across the collection.
Mar 29, 2025
