You know you should be writing every day, right? Have you ever experienced this phenomenon called writer’s block? Well, actually, when you think of it, there is no such thing. Writer’s block is just an excuse. There’s always something you can write, from a simple letter to a funny text to a few lines that signify nothing in particular. You don’t have to write a novel every day to fill in your daily writing quota. Just write!

Here are a few writing prompts and exercises to help get the ideas flowing again and keep to a schedule of writing daily.

Keep a journal - Every writer should have a journal, whether it’s personal notations of what happened each day or a list of ideas and words that attracted your attention. You don’t want to forget that great saying that’s been rattling around in your head all night.

Lists – If there’s one thing writers do best, it’s keeping a list of this and that. Well, if you’re not doing that, then you should. What types of lists? Lists of words, impressions, ideas, character names – pretty much anything that captures your attention.

Character profiles – Describe a member of your family, or a close friend. Choose an illustration (online or in a print journal) of a person (at random) and make a character sketch based on the illustration.

Personal stories – Choose an event from your childhood and write about it. A frightful moment when a car with a strange man at the wheel chases you home and there’s no one at home to come to your rescue. Or, a favorite Christmas gift that you still treasure today (who gave it to you and how did you react when you opened it).

Author’s bio – If you don’t already have one, it’s time that you did. All good books (and even articles) include a short blurb about the author. So write one. Or improve on the one you already have. Remember to write the bio in the third person as if you’re someone else writing about you.

Plan a road trip – Vacations are full of great stories. Now, plan one that you haven’t yet taken and describe the sites you hope to see and the experiences you expect to happen.

Descriptive narrative – Describe your morning. Is it sunny? Cold? Windy? How does it look outside? And how does it make you feel?

Favorite season – Which of the four seasons do you like the best? Why?

Read – There’s nothing more important to a writer than the simple act of reading. Read a book, an article, or even a newsy letter, then reply to the letter, or write a review of the book or the article.

Collaborate – Join an author’s group and share ideas, always making sure that you are encouraging others as much as they are encouraging you. After all, that’s what collaboration is all about: sharing.

Writing prompts – If you don’t like these suggestions as prompts, make a list of your own writing prompts.

You see, there’s always lots to write about. There’s no such thing as writer’s block as long as you’re writing.