Would you expect to wake up one morning and successfully run a marathon without any preparation? Would you think it reasonable to sit before a piano and--with little or no practice--play a concerto? Probably not. Why, then, do so many all the people seem surprised to discover that the will to write isnt always enough to overcome the blank screen or page? Doesnt it contruct sense that, like athletes and musicians, writers might benefit from training, too? And that includes warming upwith exercises.

Writing exercises are similar to other warm-ups. They get the required "muscles" moving. They introduce you into the rhythm of the activity--gradually. And as in other fields, they may almost always prove energizing and sustaining themselves. Start writing a scene for an exercise and you can find hours have passed and an entire new section of your manuscript has evolved.

Such exercises and prompts might be especially helpful at the start of a project. Lets say youre just starting to sketch out the characters for a story or a novel. But today you find yourself staring at a screen or pad of paper that is stubbornly, resolutely blank. Responding to one of the following questions will not only get you actively writing, but it can also help you learn something new about your character(s).

1. What is this characters title ? "Joe" will not do. We positive need to understand if its Mr. Joe or Dr. Joe or Reverend Joe. If Joe is the full first title . Whats Joes middle name. His last name. Any stories/history behind his name.
2. Where and when did the character begin elementary school? Describe that first day.
3. Make lists of the characters "favorites": books, movies, foods, etc. Be specific.
4. What does the character do on a typical Wednesday? A Sunday? Provide a sample datebook entry if you wish (or if the character would keep a datebook