Curated OER
Writing Short Stories: The Fun Way
Do your young authors suffer from writer's block when they try to write short stories? Access their natural creativity with C-Gor, the writing monster! The instructional activity takes aspiring authors through a new writing process...
Curated OER
Narrowing a Topic & The Importance of Audience
Help your young writers through the sometimes difficult process of beginning to write. Direct them through how to choose a topic and write to a specific audience. Great refining statements guide them to writing focused, clear essays.
Curated OER
Writing and Scholarship Planning For College-Bound Students: Overcome Writer's Block
Students examine methods for overcoming writer's block. They complete a worksheet, write personal statements, and participate in a class discussion.
Curated OER
Jeffrey and the Sloth
Students listen to the story Jeffrey and the Sloth and relate the story to how it feels to have writer's block. In this Jeffrey and the Sloth lesson, students use this book to inspire their creative writing process. Students create their...
Curated OER
Writing is Hard Work
In this writing worksheet, students read a quote by Isaac Singer which says, "The wastebasket is a writer's best friend." Students explain what this means to them and how they view the writing process.
Curated OER
Overcome Writer's Block
Students review methods for overcoming writer's block. They are asked if they have ever experienced writer's block, what the experience feels like, and discuss some strategies that they use to deal with writer's block. They are given a...
Curated OER
Writer's Block: Key Questions To Ask Before Composing
Students engage in a lesson that presents strategies to overcome the hurdles that discourage writers under pressure. They develop a paragraph of narrative text in response to a quote, motto or poem.
Orca Book Publishers
Orca Book Publishers: 'Jeffrey and Sloth' Teaching Guide [Pdf]
This teaching guide for Jeffrey and Sloth, a story written by Kari-Lynn Winters, provides a synopsis of the story, discussion questions and teaching ideas. The book is about the experience of writer's block and how to overcome it. The...
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University
Purdue University Owl: Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block
Are you stuck in a writing rut? Look here for a list of symptoms and possible cures to get your creative juices flowing again.
Other
Pic lits.com: Inspired Picture Writing
This innovative resource offers a wide selection of photographs and words to stimulate writing in an interactive format.
Harold D. Underdown
Are You a Writer Looking for Inspiration?
A very helpful article for writers looking for inspiration. Presents advice about inspiration from the past, present, and future. Article written for children's literature but may also apply to other genres.
Caro Clarke
The Doldrums: When the Wind Leaves Your Sails
This is the 16th article in a series that gives advice to the new novel writer. This is a particularly interesting and helpful article on how to deal with periods in writing when your enthusiasm wanes.
Scholastic
Scholastic: "I Feel" Origami Boxes
Give your students writing prompts to help them with their writer's block by using these PDF templates of boxes with open-ended prompts written on them. Although targeting elementary students, the concept could be used for middle school...
British Library
British Library: 20th Century: Creative Activities
Channel your creativity with these writing activities.
BBC
Bbc Arts: Shaking the Spiders Out (A Visual Poem)
An animated poem about the "spiders" that writers sometimes have to face.
University of Richmond
University of Richmond: Brainstorming
This site from the University of Richmond provides step-by-step guidelines through the prewriting brainstorming process. Recommended as a solution to writer's block. Though brief in its content, the site is factual and informative.
Other
Angel vs. Devil: Vanquish Writer's Block
Author Karen Wiesner describes the angel muse and the devil muse that sit on opposite shoulders, building up or tearing down confidence. She gives the telltale signs of the devil muse at work and suggests counter attacks to help the...
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University
Purdue University Owl: Introduction to Prewriting (Invention)
"When you sit down to write, does your mind turn blank? Are you sure you have nothing to say?" Try these strategies to get yourself going.