Heya guys, I wanted to give some tips on writing that I feel work really well for me. Try these out if you want to write but have trouble getting started:

Finding a Muse

Ancient Greek writers and poets often would invoke a muse to aid them in their writing. Modern muses are easy to find:

Music is an amazing tool in writing. Personally much of my writing is inspired by music, and I liked all different kinds so there is no wrong kind to choose. If you need something melodic to keep your mind on the writing, try bands like Enigma, Sky Sailing (Owl City), and Thriving Ivory. For those who like to write darker stories, bands such as Halestorm, Nightwish, and Within Temptation are great bands for you. I also like post-grunge bands such as Nickelback, Breaking Benjamin, Live, and Shinedown, as they often have great lyrics in their songs that can spark ideas for stories. Try listening to the lyrics of your favorite songs, and see if anything comes to mind. You'll be surprised at what will trigger inspiration. Also try singing along to the songs you're familiar with, you might come up with a storyline from there. (Thanks to Mick Kreiger for the additions)

If you prefer to be more adventurous with music, and you have a spare $10 to spend, try going to your local Wal-Mart/Target and choose a CD at random. Go with a band you've never heard of but that you like the name of, or one that the cover art attracts your attention. Maybe look at the names of the songs and see if one sounds intriguing.

Images can also spark inspiration. Try searching on Google for a landscape that you really enjoy, and work from there to describe the surroundings in your story. You can also work similarly here on the TEF community site: search through the artwork being posted by your fellow members, and try writing a story based on one that intrigues you.

Finally, if all else, having a companion while writing helps. If you have a favorite plush animal, figurine, toy, trading card, ect try sitting them in view while you write. Look back to them and see what they think. You will find that having someone else there to guide your work can really inspire you to come up with new ideas. If you need a trading card guide, I recommend a few of my personal favorite Magic: The Gathering cards: Purity, Mistform Dreamer, and Emerald Oryx. (Though I consider Kamahl, Pit Fighter to be my favorite card, I see him more as 'scary' than 'inspirational')

Personally as far as the trading cards, I think Purity is the perfect muse. Here is a huge picture of his artwork:



It all comes down to what inspires you. Does the thoughts of birds soaring in the sky make you want to grow wings and fly yourself? Are you intrigued by darkness, how it can be concealing but beautiful? Maybe writing about a tropical paradise, lush rainforest, or majestic mountainside will help you find your own personal vacation away from real life. Write about what you are interested in.

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Additional suggestions I recommend when writing or thinking of the plot for your story:

Try coming up with ideas in a quiet place during your freetime. I often decide on what direction I'd like to take my stories while at my job, as I am often cutting fruit in the back area and have a few hours of repetitive work and quiet to think of my stories. Try finding a quiet place, sit, think of an idea you've had that you might want to work with, and build on it - decide on where it should take place, what should happen, and who is involved in the story.

Keep a pen and paper with you and jot down ideas when you have them so you won't forget them, and work on building from them when you write your story. (Thanks to Terabetha for the addition)

Think of a way to surprise your readers. The climax of your story is a perfect place to put a surprise twist, and don't be afraid if something has already been done before in writing - many times your reader will enjoy it regardless.

Cliffhangers are good for a few reasons - they keep your readers interested in your story, but also help you take a break so you don't have to write the entire story all at one time. Try coming up with shocking cliffhangers to surprise your reader.

Never be afraid to ask for advice or suggestions. If you need help making decisions on what direction to take your writing, ask your readers. They'll often let you know how they are interpreting the writing, and will give suggestions as to what could happen next. There's no shame in asking for help when you need it.

Including other people's characters can be good, but make sure you follow their biography and get their personality right.

Spelling and grammar are a plus, though not a requirement on here. Spelling words correctly helps your reader follow the story better, and also helps your story seem a little more professional. When writing on a forum or site like this, I prefer using Mozilla Firefox - it has an auto-spellcheck feature that I rely on daily when writing.

Finally, just have fun with it! Writing can often help you relax when you're stressed, or fill your mind when you're bored. If you need to vent after a bad day, try writing a story where you or your deer explores a new place, or even just try writing a poem about how you feel. There's never a right or wrong way to write.

I hope this helps, and sorry if I come off sounding like a snob. Let me know if you have any questions.