Are you a procrastinator who suffers from writing anxiety? So am I.

Writing prompts are a way to brainstorm your project and have a record of your thoughts. Using these prompts are a way to “word vomit” onto the page. This is not the time to be perfect. This is not the time to make sense. This is the time to be silly and creative. Write down whatever comes to your mind without judgment.

Having a list of writing prompts saved onto my desktop is a life-saver from distraction. I click on it as soon as I turn on my computer.

Then, pick a writing prompt, set a timer for 15 minutes, and go. When the timer goes off, you are done. The rest of your day may be filled with meetings, literature reviews or revising. But you have completed at least 15 minutes of productive writing for the day.

And writing for at least 15 minutes a day will start to add up. You might be surprised. Let yourself surprise yourself.

Do what works for you. Maybe that means writing with a notebook and pen before you even get out of bed. Maybe that means doing your daily 15 minutes before breakfast. Maybe that means doing your 15 minutes before checking email. Maybe that means writing at night before bed.

Be sure to set up positive reinforcing rules for yourself. The key is to give yourself a reward every time you finish your goal of 15 minutes of writing a day.

Try one of my favorite writing prompts that just get my creative juices flowing at the beginning of the day:

I most hope to write . . .

I am most curious about . . .

I am most excited about . . .

I am most interested in . . .