I know that for most of us,  writing can often feel like a chore. It can feel like we have to have to sit down and write something otherwise we cannot call ourselves writers. Or, we think that we have somehow failed if we write nothing at all, or have not achieved the amount we had wished to write in a given period of time.

But, as most writers know, and I’m sure you are aware if you’re reading this, that sometimes we just lack inspiration. The metaphorical land where all of our inspiration lives has run out of food and water and is just sitting barren in our minds.

Or perhaps, we have inspiration for something – an idea for a script or a book that we desperately want and feel the need to write, but we have no direction as to where it is going to go, or how we are physically going to craft it into something readable.

If you are sitting there reading this, and you’re struggling with one or all of these problems, fear not. I have gathered together the following questions, to hopefully ignite the spark of inspiration once again, to turn those writing dreams into realities.

(These questions should be used as a foundation to build the world that you’re trying to create, and understand what it is that you’re hoping to achieve by writing a particular piece.)

All ideas are only as good as the characters that drive them, and all good ideas need to be dramatic. 

• What is the story?
• What is the central dramatic action in your idea?
• Do you have a compelling enough journey for the audience and character to go on?
• If it’s a series or a serial, do you have enough story/stories to keep it going over a number of episodes or weeks?

Creating a coherent world is crucial. 

• What are the rules of your story universe?
• What do and don’t we need to know/see?

Less is often more. The writer needs to know all the rules and background, but the audience only needs enough to stay hooked without being confused. 

• What kind of story is it?
• Are you using a recognisable genre, such as thriller or romantic comedy?
• If you are inspired or influenced by an archetypal story of old, what is it that’s different about your idea?

You need to bring fresh perspectives to familiar tales, worlds, subjects and genres.

• What is the tone and feel of the story?
• Are they consistent and coherent? There is nothing more frustrating than a slasher movie that suddenly turns into a rom-com or vice versa.

Sometimes clashing genres can work if they’re handled intelligently.

And the emotional response you are trying to aim for is just as important. 

• What physical reaction are you looking for? Something so poignant it makes the audience cry? Something funny it makes their sides hurt from laughing too much?

You need to know why this idea now is important. 

• Is it something that keeps you up at night and has really got under your skin?
• What is it about?
• What is the theme?
• What are you trying to explore?
• What are you hoping to communicate?

Don’t write anything you don’t care about just to be expedient, because it will only ever be competent at best. 

• Is it an idea that will strike a real chord with an audience?
• Who do you think will want to see it?

If you have a burning desire to write, then it’s more likely to grab our attention. 

I hope that these questions have proved useful to you, and have allowed you to break through the brick wall that some call writer’s block. And I can’t wait to read your masterpiece!