Remember those moments during writing classes when you stared at your notebook not knowing where to start? Or when you had to meet a text deadline and saw nothing but a white screen for a long time?

These moments of creative block are very common and most of the time they are the result of some emotional state. Anxiety, lack of motivation and self-criticism can be great enemies of our writing moments. 

We've already seen that there are breathing exercises that help us improve our concentration , but did you know that there are also ways to exercise our writing? And in very creative ways, by the way!

You've probably already seen tips like “read more”, “always carry a notepad” or “always try to practice your writing”. We have put together, together with the professor at the IDP School of Communication, Renata Othon, some different tips that will help you exercise your creativity in fun ways 📝📚

Bedside book

Take that book you've lost count of how many times you've read: open it to a random page, but it's not worth stealing, lol. After that, read the second paragraph of this page and start a new story from there! 

A challenge

After using your favorite book, let's move on to a slightly more elaborate exercise. Do you remember what was the most difficult and complex book you've ever read? Don’t worry, you won’t need to create a theory together with Foucault. On the contrary, transform the author's idea into something simple and create a story about your everyday life. 

Use personality to your advantage

Creating a story with characters can be quite challenging, right? So pay attention to this tip: make a list of 50 characteristics of an imaginary character, from them you will see how much easier it will be to create the narrative, as you will already know your characters very well!

Beginning, middle and end

We know that sometimes the most difficult thing is the opening sentence of a text. But for this exercise, write a sentence that represents the beginning of your story and one that represents the end. This way you will have a starting point and an ending point, making it much easier to develop a plot. 

Away from technology

Maybe this one is even a little more complicated, after all we can't separate ourselves from electronic devices for a long time. But don't give up before you try! Let go of the computer for a while, disconnect from everything digital and try writing on a blank sheet of paper.
Do you already know where to start? Now it's your turn to get your hands dirty and practice these tips from Professor Renata. The good thing is that you can get a taste of what an IDP undergraduate class is like. 🤩🥰💜