One of the fears of writers is that one day they will run out of ideas to use in their creative writing.

So, because you feel like you have a limited pool of ideas, and you feel like you don’t know the size of that pool, you make yourself hold back and go through each new idea slowly in case it’s your last.

By restricting your creative writing in this way, the quality of the writing is compromised, even if you don’t mean to.

So how can you overcome this fear of running out of ideas?

You can approach this in one of two ways:

1. You focus on fear. Look for ways to reduce these feelings of fear you have about running out of ideas.

This sounds like a good theory at first. “My problem seems to be that I’m afraid of running out of ideas. So I need to focus on ways I can reduce that fear, ways I can be less afraid, or ways I can deal with not being afraid.” new ideas when that day comes. ..”

Why this does NOT work: The simple reason this doesn’t work is because whatever you focus on in your life, that’s what expands and grows. Whatever you give your attention and focus to, that is what will prevail and what you will notice the most.

You have no doubt noticed that when you go to buy a new car model, you suddenly start seeing them wherever you go. Why? Not because there has been a flash flood of these imported or manufactured cars. It is simply because what you are focusing on has changed.

So if you focus on fear, guess what? Fear grows and expands, becomes an even greater presence.

So what is the alternative?

2. You focus on having more ideas. Look for ways to come up with more new ideas and create multiple ideas from the ones you already have.

Once again, you get what you focus on. If you have in mind while going about your daily activities: “How could this become an idea for my creative writing?” then ideas will start pouring in from all directions.

Why this DOES work: When you start looking for ideas, when you open your mind and welcome them positively, they all come pouring in!

Try this simple exercise to prove it works: Look around the room you are in now and pick 3 objects at random. The first 3 things that catch your attention.

Now, for each of these objects, ask: “What ideas can this object give me for my creative writing? What does this object remind me of? What does it make me think of? What associations do I have with this type of object? What else could it be used for, apart from Is it the intended purpose?”

Do you realize how many new ideas come from just asking a few simple questions?

What we focus on expands and grows.

By focusing on having more ideas, rather than the fear of running out of ideas, you can soon develop a habit that gives you more ideas for your creative writing than you’ll ever need.

Use this technique to get more ideas for your creative writing, starting today!