When that light bulb goes on, we all know it is time to write as much as you can. When it goes out, what can you do? There are some basic ideas which I have listed for completion sake, but below those old favourites are suggestions geared to kicking your brain into creative mode and are backed by psychological research. The basics: Read through what you’ve already written . This is helpful for editing and keeping your plot consistent but it can also remind you of a few ideas that slipped beneath your radar. Read a good book that gets you excited about writing again, or a really bad one that motivates you to do better. Brainstorming ideas is also a good exercise. The trick is not to be too rigid. Let your mind flow and include anything that comes to you, even if it feels highly irrelevant. The more you allow your mind to wander, the more likely it is to bump into that killer idea. Switch your medium . If you usually write on a computer, then pick up the old pen and paper. ...