Try Walking Off Writer's Block to Generate Article Ideas

Admittedly, I don't really believe in writer's block.

There are a lot of thoughts and feelings that writers use as excuses not to write.

I have found that I have no problem generating article ideas, and that even when I take time off from writing to exercise, I am still working.

While I exercise I am still generating article ideas, coming up with leads, a clever sentence or two, and pre-writing up to a dozen articles. All this creativity can happen for me during one two-mile walk, while listening to music, pushing a 27-pound child in a stroller, handing his juice and snacks back and forth, and sweating.

If I can do all that, so can you!

When I get back from a walk, I sit down and write out the headlines of the articles I brainstormed while walking. The headlines may not be the final headlines I use for the article, but they will convey my thought process to me later when I actually have time to write.

I also write out any related thoughts, or any sentences I thought of while pre-writing in my head.

I may not get to this list until later that night, when my son is asleep. But I know when I sit down to write, that all I need to ischeck my list and start typing.

There are some more efficient ways to keep track of article ideas that you generate while walking. Some exercise does not lend itself to keeping any type of recording of ideas, but fortunately, writing does.

1. Bring a notebook

I always have a notebook and a pen with me, wherever I go. My daily walks with my son are no exception. When I used to work at the gym, I also had a small notebook and pen with me. I found that when I was on the treadmill or theStairMaster, ideas would just flow out, and I did not want to lose them along with the sweat and weight I was losing.

2. Bring a tape recorder

If you have a micro cassette tape recorder, bring it along on walks. You may be surprised at how many ideas you can generate while walking. Just turn on the tape recorder and talk.

3. Take along a digital voice recorder

You may be more high tech and have a digital voice recorder. You can use that in the same way as the tape recorder. Don't let your creative thoughts slip away.

4. Take photos