Helpful Hints When Searching for Inspiration

A friend of mine decided she wanted to start writing again. Up until recently, she had been too busy to pursue her creative outlets and had set aside projects she worked on in earlier years. In the beginning stages of her editing process she found she no longer was attached to the idea; the inspiration and excitement she once had for the project had vanished and she didn’t even know it. Disheartened that her muse had left her, we were discussing different ways to start a new project.

Beginning a new writing project is often scary. Staring at a blank word document, imagining the journey you are about to embark on (50,000 or so words) is incredibly daunting, especially if you don’t have a spark of inspiration to start.

DON’T THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY! Fear is a huge driver in our lives, especially when it comes to being creative. The best way to be successful in starting a new project is to break it down into bite-size pieces. If you have an idea or source of inspiration, don’t hesitate! Write down everything you can surrounding that idea. If it is a story idea, break down the key plot points or scenes that you picture. If it is a character, draw them—and if you can’t draw, like me, use character creators. This Anime Avatar Creator is one of my favorites because it has an androgynous base that you can customize for your character.

For those of you who do not have an idea to jump off of, as my friend did, you have to be more observant and find something that inspires you. Below are some of the things I have noticed are significantly helpful when working on a writing project:

So you have a dream to write, maybe even to get published, why not pursue it? Image used with permission by Pexels.com

.

- Be hyper aware of your surroundings: I’ve learned that I find inspiration in the mundane. A semi-truck next to me on the highway may conjure up a character of a single father who leaves his kids with their aunt so he can make money driving across the country. He looks and acts like a tough guy, but it is all a cover for his past heartbreak and his severe dislike of being away from his kids. Another example: just yesterday, my friend and I were skiing at Winter Park and while on one of the lifts going to the peak, the wind was picking up and the fog was so bad that we couldn’t see the chair in front of us. I turned to my friend and said, “It looks like we are headed for a supernatural episode,” then quietly to myself began to think of a story that could be centered around this scene.

- Bring a notepad with you wherever you go: This goes along with simply being aware, but is a huge help. During your daily interactions, if someone stands out to you as bizarre or interesting, or if you hear a compelling narrative, write it down as soon as you get the chance. This keeps the creative juices flowing; you never know when inspiration for a new story will strike!

- Character development: One of the biggest problems I have noticed, and something I struggle with, is character consistency. In the height of writing it is common for a writer who does not have a strong grasp on their characters to begin to add uncharacteristic actions to some of their characters. In order to stray from making those mistakes, I suggest creating a profile for each of your main characters and maybe even some of your side characters. I have used different character guides in my own writing that have significantly helped flush out my characters in order to understand why they are the way they are and what motivates them. You can find a bunch of different types of character development tools online. Not everyone needs help in character development or consistency, but it is nice to have something to look back at periodically to remind yourself of key aspects of your characters.

- Make time for your story: This may sound repetitive or silly, but writing is an art that needs to be cultivated, even in the most creative of people, and like other creative outlets, it takes practice and discipline. Schedule time for your writing. Whether it’s once a day, if you are afforded the time, or once a week, it is VITAL to nurture your creativity. Many people argue--why should I set aside time to write if I’m not inspired or have even the littlest idea of where I’m going? And to those of you who feel like that, I understand. It feels silly to put time into something that just isn’t there, but sometimes creativity needs a little nudge to get going, or even an invitation. So sit at your laptop or journal and start writing. It could be a collection of thoughts that pass by you and you dictate them; maybe you are frustrated and need to vent about how terrible your day/week/month/year has been in order for you to be open to creativity. You have to get the junk out of the way (no, I’m not saying your struggles or complaints are junk, they just get in the way sometimes). Once you establish a consistent writing time you are inviting your creative juices to flow, and chances are, something is going to show up.

- Just finish the draft: It is so easy to get caught up in “perfecting” your manuscript as you go, but it’s is one of the easiest ways to become distracted and disheartened. Pushing through grammatical errors, weird wording, sections of dialogue or narrative that just seem “off” is difficult, but you have to push through. Writing is the hardest part; once all of your ideas are out, even if they look disfigured, they are there.

Kathy, in her post Ten Tips for Finishing Your First Draft, offers some great suggestions to help keep you going and finish your first draft. Remember, this draft is far from perfection and chances are, especially if you’re looking at publishing, many things may be rewritten or changed between now and your hopeful book release. So, don’t worry about it being “perfect;” just get your thoughts out.

No matter where you are in your writing project, these tips can be helpful in increasing the quality of your story. Then, when you have finished your first draft, celebrate! Take some time to appreciate the huge accomplishment you have achieved. When you are ready to get back at it, check out our post on self edits to help get the ball rolling on the next step of the process.

Happy writing,

~M