Hanna Pylväinen, author of We Sinners, has an interesting approach for training herself to get into a writing mood, rather than just wait until that feeling she should write.

Read her quote and find her secret here on Poets & Writers. Then check out the pw.org writing exercises page for writing prompts in fiction, poetry, and creative non-fic.

I’m definitely guilty of writing when I feel like writing or when inspiration comes, rather than sitting down and staring at that terrifying blank page. Training myself with something portable might be the trick. I’ve heard you shouldn’t limit yourself to writing at one certain time of day, or with one particular type of music, or in complete silence, or only in one location, because then it will be harder to be spontaneous. Writers should be able to write anywhere at anytime.

What are your tricks for getting to work?