Clustering For Writers Block

Pen poised...fingers lifted over keyboard...ready..aim..write!! Frozen,nothing comes flying off your fingers. You sit there like a concert pianist ready to strike the 1812 Overture, but the difference is,he does and you sit there immobile. So, in defeat you lower your hands to your lap or run them through your hair and look for something to clean up in your office. Anything will do as long as you don't have to sit there and be tortured by the evil gremlin of writers blocks.

If any of this sounds remotely familiar, relax, you are in good company. In fact you are keeping company with some of the greatest authors of all time.It's true, even those we revere have fallen prey to this enemy. But I am here to tell you about a simple concept that can be used for everything from writers blocks to planning a family vacation. You are probably aware of "Clustering" or sometimes known as "Mind Mapping."

Take a clean sheet of paper, draw a circle in the middle of it. Within that circle put a word, any word no matter how far fetched. What does it make you think of? Draw a line to another circle and put inthe word. You have the beginning of a page full of ideas. When you've run out of ideas or space, sit back and look at all that is filling your page. Now start creating sentences to make up a story.

And the rest is history.

Writing can be challenging or it can be fun, therapeautic and enlightening. It's up to you.

Have fun!!
Barb