Personally speaking, coming up with ideas is probably one of the most difficult parts of writing. When I have an initial idea, I have no problem running with it, but coming up with the idea is incredibly hard.

Writing has been around so long that so many of the good ideas have already been used, so it’s difficult to maintain originality. It can be pretty discouraging.

Whether you are in the beginning stages of a project or if you are unsure of how to finish your project, here are some helpful tips to inspire new creativity:

Ask other people! Now I know I just said coming up with original ideas is very important but hear me out. If people willingly give you input, you can take their ideas and rework them to make those ideas your own. There should never be any shame in asking for help. There is not a single writing piece that has not been aided by at least one other person. While asking other writers for ideas is helpful because of their experience in the field, asking non-writers can be just as beneficial because their input comes from the perspective of a reader.
Take a break! This is another tip that sounds counter-intuitive at first, however constantly thinking of ideas is straining on your brain. Like every body part, your brain needs to take a break after working so hard for so long. This break can be however long as time allows. If you have a strict deadline maybe you can only afford to give yourself thirty minutes to decompress and take your mind off of your project. But maybe this is a personal project and you can leave it alone for a month or two before coming back and approaching it with a fresh mind. I promise that taking a break for any amount of time will be beneficial.
Try one of your bad ideas! It’s natural when brainstorming ideas that we end up thinking of one that seems kind of poor. But if you really can’t think of anything else, there’s no harm in trying one of the bad ideas. Maybe you’ll start writing and realize this idea can work after all. Or maybe you’ll realize that you were right in the first place and it doesn’t work. Even if the latter is true, after exploring the bad idea you’ll understand the specifics of what makes the idea bad and you can start thinking of ways to improve it.
Go outside! The outdoors is great for a lot of things, physically and mentally. It’s even great for finding inspiration. Not only will the sunshine help boost your mood and aid you in having a more positive approach, but exploring a new environment often helps you explore new ideas. Even if you live in an urban area getting outside your home and walking down the street can lead to all kinds of inspiration.

I hope these tips help you continue to create and to do what you love. Don’t ever let a little writer’s block keep you from chasing after your goals.