I’m sure you have seen one or two old movies or TV shows where someone takes a blank piece of paper, feeds it into the roller of an old fashioned manual typewriter, and begins to peck out a story with gusto (His Girl Friday and Murder, She Wrote immediately come to mind). Even though most of us don’t use those old typewriters anymore but look at a blank page on a computer screen, it’s wonderful when we can crank out a story that fast and with such enthusiasm. But unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. Oftentimes we just stare at that blank screen, wondering how to fill in all that space.

Here are a few tips on how we can take a fresh look at that blank sheet and create some fun writing exercises.

Doodle

What? Yes, I said “doodle.” We are probably all guilty of sitting around with a scrap of paper nearby, and either drawing some lines or squiggles onto the paper that turn into a building or a very rough sketch of the neighbor’s border collie. Well, we can doodle with our words, too. How?

Look around you. What do you see? A cluttered desk? A rainy day outside your window? A wilting flower in a vase on the table? Use whatever is nearby and doodle some thoughts onto your page. Then take those thoughts and type up a little story out of them.

In the Beginning

No, we aren’t going to copy a Bible verse here, but we can take the start of a favorite novel or story and turn it into a new story. For example, remember when Snoopy would sit in front of his typewriter in the Peanuts™ comic strip? Sometimes Charles Schulz had him start with “It was a dark and stormy night.” Try your own take on that line and write a whole new adventure.

Here are a few possibilities:

You see? The possibilities are endless.

Bring Out the Crayons

There is nothing like a splash of color to brighten any blank page. Try to think of a world in one color. What would that look like with all of its varying shades? Write a little story about two kids trapped in that world and how they suddenly find a way out into a world of multiple colors.

A blank page doesn’t need to be something to dread or fear. Look at it as an invitation to be creative. Our writing is a beautiful gift. Exercise that skill by taking that empty space and filling it with some amazing stories!

Unsplash photo credits: MJH SHIKDER, Patrick Fore, Anthony Garand, and Chastity Cortijo. Doodle by Catherine Osornio.

Catherine L. Osornio has written inspirational articles for a women’s ministry newsletter, over 200
leveled reader stories for a school’s reading program, fiction and nonfiction
articles for Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines, The
Declaration of Independence from A to Z, Thunder Comes a Rumblin’, plus various
work-for-hire projects. A former elementary school librarian, Catherine is
passionate about sharing the love of reading. She enjoys cartooning,
illustration, and reading kids’ books. Email her at CLOsornio@verizon.net or visit her at www.catherineosornio.com.