Blank Mind Writing?

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers Magazine Does this ever happen to you? You have "nothing" to write about, or so you think. Your publisher, agent, fans, readers, and followers are waiting for your next story or book. Nothing springs to mind. Your mind is totally blank. The excuses abound. It's the holiday season, and life is on fast forward, but that still doesn't change the fact a deadline is looming. You promise yourself the next deadline, you will do better. However, that is not solving this year's problem.  Here is my solution to this issue: power up your computer and Google any date of your choosing. Check Wikipedia, yes I said Wiki under "events." It is a good jumping off point for inspiration to get the writing juices flowing.  My date is December 26. Here is one event that occurred on that date and would make for interesting writing, in "1776 during American Revolutionary War, at the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army defeats a garrison of Hessian mercenaries." Sounds like one of the episodes on the successful new FOX television show "Sleepy Hollow." All you screenwriters get busy. This could work for you.  Another writing-worthy item that occurred on Dec 26,is a funeral in "1799 for the father of our country, George Washington. Over four thousand people attended and Henry Lee III said of Washington, he was "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Can you imagine if your story character attended his funeral? Your story could open with the funeral and move forward or backward from that event. All you Historical writers get busy this could work for you.  Another event that would make for a great book occurred in, "1862, Four nuns serving as volunteer nurses on board USS Red Rover. They were the first female nurses on a U.S. Navy hospital ship." I wonder what their stories were and how they came to be nuns/nurses. Did they stay nuns after this event? This could be a non-fiction or fictional account of an historical event. All you Biographers or Romance writers get busy this could work for you.  This is my favorite, in "1900 – A relief crew arrives at the lighthouse on the Flannan Isles of Scotland, UK, only to find the previous crew has disappeared without a trace." They were never found. What? All you Sci-Fi, Steampunk, Mystery, and Paranormal writers get busy this event could be the basis for your next best-seller.  Have no fear "blank mind writing" doesn't really exist as long as you can research any date on Google Wikipedia. Have fun checking out your particular date.