Writing Prompt: Defeat the Obstacles to Writing

Jack Heffron's book, The Writer's Idea Book: How to Develop Great Ideas for Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, & Screenplays gives some fantastic writing prompts.

As Randy, Mike, Nick, and I discuss writing, we often face obstacles in writing--life things that keep us from being the writers that we need to be.  Take a look at this prompt:

Reframe your view of the obstacles in your life that impede your writing.  Make a list of these obstacles.  Then, next to each one, write about how you can overcome the obstacle and how it might be used as a tool for creativity.

Obviously, the purpose of this prompt is to take the obstacles and turn them into something positive.  For example,

Obstacle: TIME
Overcoming this: wake up 30 minutes early for writing ONLY.  Shoot for two days a week, then three, then four.  I look forward to this time, so this should be easy.  Should.  Getting up early is not always easy, but perhaps I can start small.

Obstacle: SPACE
Overcoming this: Create a small space for writing that is comfortable, quiet, and inspirational.  This space should be a place where I can feel creative and alone to work on my work.  Currently, my space is on the kitchen table for the light and the space to spread out.  I hope to have a better space in the future, but for now, this space works well.  I can do this fine.

Jack Heffron reminds us that

You're not going to be a writer someday.  You're a writer today.  Discipline yourself to write and take time to enjoy writing.  Do it a lot.  Have fun with it.  Begin now.

That's the thing.  Just do it, Nike.  Forget the obstacles.  Do it now.