Three Tips to Help Overcome Writer's Block

How Authors Can Get Inspiration From Everyday Household Products

Aug 16, 2009

Stuck for ideas for another article or blog entry? Try thinking outside the box and consider the products stored in those kitchen and bathroom cupboards and cabinets.

All writers, at some point or another, suffer from the dreaded writer’s block and find that inspiration for online articles or blog ramblings is just not there. The following three tips will help any author find writing ideas by just looking at and analysing everyday products lying around the home.

Check Out Beauty Products in the Bathroom Cabinet

Pick up a bottle of shampoo or anti-wrinkle cream. Read the marketing blurb on the label. What are all those ingredients and which one is the particular marketing ace as perceived by the manufacturer of that beauty product. Research it using the power of Google or email the manufacturer and ask for a fact sheet.

What about the cleaning products in there? How do they work and, more importantly, is there an old fashioned, thrifty and credit crunch easing substitute that would make a good base for an article or blog piece? This article showing how vinegar can be used as a thrifty substitute for expensive supermarket alleged wonder products is a good example.

What Ketchups, Pickles and Sauces Lurk in the Kitchen Cupboard?

Is there a favourite sauce or condiment such as piccalilli that gets stockpiled because the family uses so much of it? What’s in it, how’s it made? Can it be created from the raw ingredients by the average housewife or househusband? Again, use the power of Google or recipe books to research what goes into that product and write an article on how to make and store it.

What’s the family’s favourite meal and why is it a favourite? Write down the recipe and then find out a few facts about the dish. Hunt through old newspaper archives on the internet and see if that name has been mentioned anywhere in a story. This will help fill the article so that any rule about a minimum number of words isn’t breached. This Lancashire Hotpot recipe is an example of what can be achieved.

What Advertising is Hot in Local or National Newspapers?

Pick up a newspaper (either local or national) and read through it with a critical, analysing eye. What’s the lead story of the day on the financial or sporting pages? Can an article be crafted from anything there? What about the adverts – what are businesses paying to publicise and, possibly more importantly, is there a theme?

Then look at the news section. News with a short shelf life, such as “Man Murdered in Downtown Vancouver”, is probably not worth writing about – unless it’s one of a series of killings by the same, as yet undetected, perpetrator. But, general warning and advice campaigns by, for example, the Emergency Services can yield a nugget or two as this article on Sky Lanterns demonstrates.

The copyright of the article Three Tips to Help Overcome Writer's Block in Resources for Writers is owned by Elaine Findlay. Permission to republish Three Tips to Help Overcome Writer's Block in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.