No excuses. Just write.

If you are making excuses you?re not alone. It?s not that you don?t want to. Or even that you can?t. It?s just too easy not to actually sit down and do it. Do either of these sound familiar?

I don?t have time.
While that can no doubt be true, there are times when it?s really no more than a convenient excuse not to do something. The thought of facing a blank page and having to fill it can be daunting, there?s no doubt about that.
Putting things off is part of human nature. The problem is, the more you do it the harder it is to get back on track at a later date.

If it?s lack of confidence that?s stopping you, claiming not to have time won?t help. Like everything else in life, if you don?t try you?ll never know will you?
Perhaps you feel it?ll all be a waste if time. Or self indulgent. But why should it be? If it?s something you really want to do why shouldn?t you? After all you?re not hurting anyone. Except yourself if you don?t stop making excuses.

My mind?s gone blank.
Every writer has those times when their imagination refuses to co-operate. That?s not an excuse not to write though. All you have to do is open your eyes and ears and countless stories are there all around you.

If a particular subject catches your eye think about it. Ask yourself these vital questions. How, who, what, where and why?
Invent a character to go with it and you might have a story. Stories are all around you. It?s a question of asking your imagination what it can do with it. Even a vague idea can lead on to others.

Most writers keep a notebook handy at all times. They jot down ideas, impressions, character sketches and everything else that grabs their attention. They know through bitter experience if you don?t make a note at the time it?s likely to be lost for good. Simply reading those can usually spark something. It?s worth a try.

Remember more often than not the only thing stopping you from writing is yourself. Now?s the time to stop making excuses and get on with it.