Getting writer’s block can be incredibly frustrating, whether you write as a professional, need to create a great paper for your classes, or just want to write something for a personal project. It doesn’t have to be a complete roadblock when it comes to getting writing done, however, as there are many tools out there that are designed to help you break through your mental obstacles and get the creative juices flowing. Here are 100 to get you started on your road to writing success.
General
These resources are designed to help writers at any stage of the writing process.
- Writers.com: Here you’ll find writing courses and assistance of all kinds.
- 911 Writer’s Block: This mock 911 line is there to answer all of your burning writing questions and concerns.
- Daily Writes: Join this email workshop to get some help with your writing and jumpstart the process.
- Resources for Writers: Check out this Suite 101 site for links to numerous resources just for writers.
- About Creative Writing: From information on National Novel Writing Month to tips on battling writer’s block, you’ll find it all here.
- Writing.org: This site offers a collection of articles for writers by Durant Imboden.
- Writer’s Digest: Read through this magazine to get some fresh ideas and inspiration from other writers.
- Writers Write: This site is a great resource for information about writing, publishing and reading.
- The Writer Magazine: Here you’ll find a magazine designed to help and inspire writers of all kinds.
- Writers.net: If you’re looking for resources for writers, this site has a great list compiled.
Articles
If you want a little more guided instruction on how to fight writer’s block, read through these helpful articles on the subject.
- Five Strategies For Conquering Writer’s Block Right Now!: Don’t let your writer’s block bother you for one more minute. Instead, check out this article to learn how to combat it.
- How To Overcome Writers Block: Use the tips found here to get over your writer’s block.
- 7 Can’t-Miss Ways to Kick-Start the Writing Habit: If you’re having trouble getting into the whole writing process, this article offers helpful advice.
- 31 Ways to Find Inspiration for Your Writing: Need a source of inspiration to get started? You might find a few good suggestions here.
- How to End Writer’s Block Forever: This CopyBlogger article promises to help you end writer’s block now and for good.
- Writing: Get Motivated to Write: Learn new ways to get yourself motivated to write something with this article.
- Zen Power Writing: 15 Tips on How to Generate Ideas and Write with Ease: Connect with your inner self and use it to kick start your writing with some guidance found here.
- The Myth of writers block: This article explains why true writer’s block doesn’t really exist.
- Drano for writers: 10 tricks to get the words flowing again: Treat your brain like a clogged pipe and learn how to clear it out with this article.
- When the Words Won’t Come: Get some advice on what to do when your creative juices seem to be all tapped out.
Brainstorming
Fight through your writer’s block with these tools designed to help you map out and organize your thoughts.
- Wridea: It might be a bit of a help to organize your ideas using this program, before you ever start writing.
- Free Mind: This Java-based software can help you map out ideas and plotlines.
- Wisemapping: Use this mind-mapping tool to get your ideas out of your head and onto the screen.
- Mindomo: Even if you can’t think of what to write you can start prepping your project with this organizational tool.
- Bubbl.us: Create colorful and helpful mind maps with this tool.
- DeepMehta: Here you’ll get a free and visual way to connect your thoughts and perhaps get back on the right track.
- Mapul: This organic mind-mapping tool will work with you to pull out those great story ideas.
- Mind42: Don’t want to work alone? This tool will let you easily share your mind maps with others and get feedback.
- View Your Mind: Use the VYM toolset to create maps with links, pictures and more.
- MindMeister: Organize your research, work with others, and force your brain to break through writer’s block with this tool.
Inspiration
Use these great tools to get motivated and find inspiration to help you get writing.
- The Imagination Prompt Generator: This tool will give you random prompts to get you thinking about writing.
- Geoffrey’s Automatic Story and Idea Generator: Plug in some verbs and nouns into this tool and use it to fight through writer’s block.
- Inspiration for Writers: Get tips, tools and ideas on getting into your writing groove here.
- Creative Writing Prompts: There are literally hundreds of free prompts on this site that you can use to get started.
- The Story Starter: Use this tool to randomly generate a starter sentence for you.
- Blockbluster Plots: The templates on this site are meant to give you a boost when getting started.
- Character Questionnaire: This tool will help you build a character around a few basic questions.
- Prompts: Visit this site to find a number of tools to prod your brain into gear.
- Writing Fix: This site is home to prompts, lessons and articles to help writers.
- Inspiration and Writer’s Block: Check out the links on this site to get inspiration, motivation and fight writer’s block.
Communities
Sometimes the best way to break through writer’s block is to talk it out with other writers and get ideas on how they find inspiration.
- Writerface: This site is the Facebook for writers, allowing those with writer’s block or any other concern to connect.
- Inked-In: Connect with writers, artists and musicians on this social site.
- Writers Network.com: Share what you have been working on and get support on this community website.
- Writing Room: Getting help with writing is easy with this site.
- Ink ‘n It: Find help with your writing projects and talk to potential readers on this social network.
- Writing.com: With millions of members, you’re sure to find someone out there who can inspire or help you through your writer’s block.
- Storylink: Screenwriters will appreciate this online community as a source of advice and information.
- FictionPress: Join the communities and forums here to find help with any writing problems you might have.
- Urbis: Learn more about your potential audience by using this social media site.
- ABCTales: This site offers users the chance to share their stories and get feedback.
Writing Blogs
These blogs will offer some great advice on writing, from getting over writer’s block to getting your work–when you finally finish it–published.
- Writing Hacker: Writer and blogger Angela Booth offers helpful advice in this blog on writing and publishing.
- Ink Thinker: If you’re a freelance writer, you can find great articles on this blog to help you get inspired and motivated.
- Inkygirl: Daily Diversions for Writers: This blog is home to comics and articles to help you get writing.
- Writer Unboxed: Learn about fiction-genre writing from this blog.
- Write Anything: This blog’s motto is that any writing is good writing, so long as you get something done.
- Write to Done: Apply the Zen to Done philosophy to writing as well, and break through that writer’s block and procrastination.
- Time to Write: Get tips, ideas, inspirations for writers from Jurgen Wolff here.
- Writing Forward: This site is full of writing tips and ideas.
Music and Reading
Many writers find that listening to music or reading a book is a great way to get past writer’s block. These tools provide easy ways to access music and literature from your home computer.
- LibraryThing: Share what you’re reading, connect to other writers and readers and find new ideas about what to read here.
- Shelfari: Try out this social network to connect with other book lovers and find good reads.
- Project Gutenberg: Use this site to read a wide range of classic works.
- Good Reads: Share book recommendations and find something that will truly spark your interest here.
- The Online Books Page: Read the classics here for free.
- Pandora: Create radio stations on this site that only plays the music that you like.
- LastFM: If you’re looking for something new that you’ll love, try out this recommendation site.
- Musicovery: Discover new music that will set the mood for whatever you’re trying to write with this site.
- iTunes: You don’t have to buy music to use iTunes. Take advantage of their collection of online radio stations to listen to whatever gets you in the writing mood.
- Songza: Check out this site to search for new music and create your own free playlists.
- Chain Reading: Browse through loads of book recommendations on this site.
Fun Tools
These tools offer some fun and creative ways to fight the frustration of writer’s block.
- Cut Up Machine: Cut up and mix your writing around with this tool.
- Translator: See what your writing would sound like in another language with this fun tool.
- Random Line Generator: Use this tool to generate random lines you can work with.
- Text Collage: Create a visual collage of your writing to mix and experiment with what you’re doing.
- Character Name Generator: Can’t come up with a good name for your lead? Try out this tool for help.
- Sentence Builder: This tool will help you build sentences, some of which might inspire more than just a sentence.
- Poetry Bot: Here you can generate random poetry that could get you creating more purposeful work.
- Magnetic Poetry: Use these magnetic poetry kits to mix and match words to create work.
- Title-o-Matic: Sometimes it can help to start with a title, and this tool offers them up at your request.
- Madlib Poem: Madlibs aren’t just fun, they can also help you start loosening up and getting to writing.
Just Write
Sometimes the only way to break through writer’s block is to just write anything, even if it’s nothing great. These tools will help keep you connected to writing no matter where you are.
- WordPress: This is one of the most popular blogging platform, as it is flexible and easy to use.
- Blogger: Google’s Blogger lets you share your thoughts and frustrations with the world.
- GoogleDocs: With this web-based text editor you’ll be able to take your writing with you anywhere there’s a web connection.
- OpenOffice: If you don’t like your current word processor, why not try this free version instead?
- AbiWord: This application is another free word processor you can use as an alternative.
- Evernote: Make sure you don’t lose those valuable ideas and sparks of inspiration with this application that lets you easily jot them down.
- WebNotes: Use the web as your personal research assistant with this tool that lets you highlight, make notes and track your research.
- TreePad Lite: This basic text editor and database manager is super lightweight so it will run fast while doing a great job organizing your work.
- yWriter5: This word processor was designed specifically with writers in mind and can help you find the organization and structure you need to get down to business.
- StoryBook: Keep your novel organized with this tool that will make sure you get writing the right way.
Collaboration
If you can’t get going on your own why not get some help from someone else? These tools let writers collaborate or get feedback from editors.
- LooseStitch: Create and share your outlines and ideas with this great collaborative tool.
- WriteWith: Use this tool to work together to get your writing out of your brain and onto the computer.
- Writeboard: With this tool you can write down some of your ideas or sketch out a plot and get feedback from someone else that can help you move forward.
- Critique Circle: Join this site to get another pair of eyes to look at your work.
- Writer’s Helper: Try out this site to get a free critique of a small sample of your writing.
- Portrayl: Use this site to showcase what you have and get feedback from other users.
- SynchroEdit: If you want to work with an editor or helper, this site lets you see their changes as they make them.
- Glypho: Have an idea for a story? Share it on this site and get ideas from people around the world on how to move forward with it.
- Novlet: Try having a little fun with writing on this site that lets writers work together to create stories in a non-linear way.
- AutoCrit Editing Wizard: Take advantage of this tool to edit your work and give you ideas on how to improve.
- StoryMash: Join this community to work together on creating writing–a great way to break out of your writing funk.
