8 Simple Ways To Find Inspiration

By: Paul Schwalbe (Guest Writer)

Every writer, depending on personality and writing style, has his or her own ways of gaining inspiration. As much as I’d like to believe there is one method that will work perfectly for everyone every time, there isn’t. That being said, here is a list of some ways that work for me:

1.      Listen to Music – It doesn’t matter what kind you listen to. Any song can trigger an idea or emotion than can lead to some inspiration. It can come from the lyrics, the tone, or even knowledge of the instruments being played. Personally, I like to build little stories that match what is happening in the music and have been inspired to expand them to full pieces.

      Additional Reading: How to Use Music To Enhance Your Writing

2.      Look at Images – Like the music, it doesn’t matter what kind of image. You can be inspired by what’s happening in a picture or the colors that are used. Even the history behind a painting can provide inspiration. 

3.      Live Life – Don’t lock yourself up in a small room and wait for inspiration to come pouring fourth. Get outdoors, go places, and do stuff! Whether it’s walking in the park or jumping off a cliff, the more things you do in life the more you’ll have to write about.  

4.      Read Anything & Everything – Great writing can inspire you to create a something equally as great. Terrible writing can inspire you to write something better (and also make you feel better about your own writing).

      Additional Reading: 6 Blogs Every Writer Should Read

 

5.      Wander the Web – Get online and wander. If you stay on long enough I can guarantee you will find something you have never seen or heard of before and you just might be inspired by it. Sites like Pinterest, YouTube, and Stumblupon are great for this.

6.      Talk About Your Writing – Bouncing ideas off other writers is a great way to spark new ideas of your own. In some cases bouncing ideas with non-writers is even better as they can provide an entirely new perspective on things. 

7.      Keep Paper and Pen Nearby – Lots of people like to say things like, “you never know when you’ll be hit with inspiration.” If you don’t write it down you won’t remember what it was that hit you. If you have an idea, write it down as soon a possible. Once it’s written you can always look back on it to be reminded and re-inspired. I have written ideas across my arms before because I had no paper handy.

8.      Always Keep Your Eyes and Ears Open – This is more a piece of advice than a method but you never know what may set off an idea for a piece. It could be the woman on the cell phone behind you in a checkout line or the guy with the funny laugh on the train. It could even be a billboard you see on the road. Just keep in mind that inspiration can come from anywhere and be ready when it does.