I Don't Know What To Write About! | Teen Ink

I Don't Know What To Write About!

October 31, 2008
By Matt Dini BRONZE, Arlington Heights, Illinois
Matt Dini BRONZE, Arlington Heights, Illinois
4 articles 0 photos 0 comments

I do not know what to write about! I am sitting at my desk with a few sheets of
paper and a pencil. Sweat is dripping from my hair onto my jeans. I have been sitting
here for at least twenty minutes; and still nothing has passed through my empty,
thoughtless head. My paper is as blank as the walls of a cell, and my pencil has yet to
make a mark. The light from my lamp is irritating my tired eyes. My L.A piece was
due tomorrow, but not even that could motivate me. My head cannot produce any
quality thoughts. I begin to doodle a small face with slanted eyebrows and a goatee
in the left margin of my paper, hoping for inspiration; but none comes. I stare at it for
some time. The doodle’s teasing glare seems to taunt me in my distress. I bang my head
on the desk, somehow trying to bash some clever story ideas or descriptive words into
my head. My plan fails. I just end up with a sore head and a broken heart. I sit back in my
seat and sigh. There is no way I’m going to get this piece in by tomorrow. My forehead
practically begins to bleed. It’s probably the sweat now pouring down my face and the
pain from whacking my head on the desk. I begin to sketch a paragraph but erase it.
It just isn’t good enough. My hands begin to shake from exhaustion. I yawn as my door
creaks open slightly. My dog creeps through and jumps onto my bed. I sit down next to
her and stroke her hair. Perhaps she could inspire me. She wags her stubby tail and
begins to lick my hand. I smile. She could always make me happy even in the darkest of
times. I sit back down at my desk and look at the paper.


“Listen, you,” I say. “I want you to be filled! I only have a little time left. You had
better be done when I’m finished with you, got it?” Of course, the paper and my small
doodle just stare back at me; but it satisfies my irritation. I scratch my head and look at
the clock. It’s already 10:00! I think frantically and my mind races.
Baseball? No. Fishing? Uh-uh. Adventures of Barney and friends?
Okay, I’m probably kidding myself on that last one. But I swear, I almost go with it.
In frustration, I grab my hair and yank with all my might.
I don’t know what to write about! I don’t know what to write
about!! I don’t know what to write about!!!!!!!!!!!As if heaven had been listening to my thoughts and granted some wild mind-powers to
me, it hits me. All this time, I had been worrying about not knowing what to write about;
but it was exactly that which I should write about! Let me explain. I had been nearing
ripping the hair right off my head, but it was exactly that and the other events that
happened during my tantrum that I should write about! In other words, I should write
about not knowing what to write about! The answer had been with me the entire time,
taunting me in front of my nose. I am relieved but at the same time very pissed at myself.
With new knowledge, an idea, and a pencil, I begin to write the experiences of
this night onto my page.


By 10:31, my piece is in my hand, my eraser burning from overuse. The night
may not be my favorite, but my L.A piece was finished. I can’t believe it took that long
to think of something so obvious! It was a very tiring night, and I later crashed and
burned from exhaustion, but I got an A on that piece! My terrible night turned out to be a
good one after all.



(a special thanks goes out to Mr. Doodle.)


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This article has 11 comments.


on Feb. 23 2022 at 10:16 pm
kali73304 SILVER, Long Lane, Missouri
6 articles 2 photos 35 comments
I loved this. I related very well, since I can never find anything to write but end up with doodles on my paper instead.

on Aug. 21 2021 at 3:36 am
Itsmaanya_25 PLATINUM, Indore, Other
32 articles 1 photo 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
It's Okay to have butterflies in your stomach, as long as you make them fly in formation

such a different idea

on Aug. 10 2021 at 11:15 am
Crazywolfiegirl2 PLATINUM, Kington, Other
26 articles 3 photos 284 comments

Favorite Quote:
There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter. —Rachel Carson

Is it bad that this is very relatable? Especially the doodle face, that is very much something I would do 😂 I find it really cool that you wrote about not being able to think of something to write, not many people would think if that 🤣

on Jun. 8 2019 at 4:18 pm
Roxanna_Foxe SILVER, Anonymous, North Carolina
8 articles 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." - Mark Twain

I love that you wrote about not writing. :) Love it!

on Nov. 14 2018 at 4:33 pm
Hermione-Granger BRONZE, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
4 articles 0 photos 198 comments
Great job!

on Oct. 3 2018 at 2:20 pm
Dani_Higareda PLATINUM, Hanahan, South Carolina
20 articles 0 photos 109 comments

Favorite Quote:
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”
- Winnie the Pooh

I really like how your work is very detailed and creative. Great job and keep writing!

stenova BRONZE said...
on Jul. 12 2015 at 9:16 am
stenova BRONZE, Trumbull, Connecticut
4 articles 0 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
"'Tis not in mortals to command success, but we'll do more, Sempronius- we'll deserve it."

Ooh I like the ending! This is a really good story and one could argue that it's even poetry, but no matter what you're a talented writer!

on Sep. 11 2009 at 10:37 am
GraceGallows PLATINUM, Plainville, Massachusetts
41 articles 32 photos 13 comments
haha ive written stuff like that before :-p but it ends up turning pretty random :p

TT said...
on Nov. 18 2008 at 2:38 am
Glad you were able to get an idea and get the paper in!

TapLady said...
on Nov. 7 2008 at 10:59 pm
clever idea!

reader1 said...
on Nov. 7 2008 at 6:52 pm
good details!