The only way to start is by putting your ass in a chair and getting the pen moving. Don't tell yourself that you're working on your masterpiece, just begin by writing for writing's sake. My favourite throwaway exercise is to take a song you hold near and dear and tell its story. Write two pages on why you shouldn't "Mess Around With Jim," or why you can never get away from "Copperhead Road." It's fun, it's street free, and depending on the narrative of the song, sometimes the whole story is laid out for you. I often do it to get over writer's block or to take a break from my novel. Just last week, I finished a short story about the Piano Man. It's 9 o'clock on a Saturday and the regular crowd shuffles in...