In an eighteen minute long voice note from my cousin, one of the topics she mentioned was inspiration. She wants to write again, but doesn’t know how to get inspired and where to start. Instead of sending her back a podcast long voice note, I decided I’d rather write a blog post on the topic. This post is about finding the inspiration; the next post will be about using it.
Everyone soaks in inspiration in a different way, some people are more visual others more audible. Knowing which you prefer can help a lot. I myself take in all kinds of material, but visual is my strongest aspect (hence the inspiration board against my wall). Figuring this out will help you find inspiration more easily and have it stay for longer. Disclaimer, this is what works for me, these platforms and sources might not work for everyone.
Here are eight ways to get inspired (especially for you Lee)
1. Music
Music is one of the best sources of inspiration. It activates not only your ears and mind, but also your body. It helps to envision scenes, poems, settings and even characters. What also makes this a fun way to find inspiration, is that you get to search through various genres. Some genres and songs I can only listen to when writing, when I listen to it when doing something else it just doesn’t sound as good.
With some intent searching you might come across something that lets the muses whisper ideas into your ears.
2. Photos/Pictures
I love searching the internet for inspiration and coming across unexpected pictures (the good kind). It helps envision various aspects in my writing so much better. Under this category is photos, pictures, digital art and movie stills (basically everything you’d find online).
I have an inspiration board against my wall with pictures that inspire me, some are for characters, settings, motivation and anything else which sparks my interest. It’s extremely helpful, more than my blank wall was.
The platforms I use are, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram. I find them the most packed with various content, and even when I don’t find inspiration I always find something interesting.
3. Places
Have you ever gone somewhere new and had a certain feeling? If you had, then I suggest going there again or to a new place. Travelling is a great way to seek inspiration, going out of the country or town, but even visiting a new shop can help.
A while back I was searching for a coffee shop to work at and found a piece of heaven tucked away behind buildings. Since then I go there at least once every two weeks. The furniture and decor which doesn’t match, added to the friendly service somehow helps. Even on days when I don’t know in what direction my work is going, there is always something to spark my imagination.
Try to find a place like this; it can be a different country, a coffee shop, a certain place in the house, the garden, even in the closet if you want. You won’t know what might spark inspiration unless you move around.
I know not everyone can travel and you might not like leaving the comfort of your home (like me on most days), so go search for photos of places you’ve never been or search for interesting facts of places you have been. You never know when something might trigger those engines of yours.
4. Books
What better way to get inspired to write than by looking at writing. Books can inspire in different ways, that’s what makes them one of the best sources. Reading other peoples work can be quite inspiring as well as motivating. When I read a novel and it makes me feel alive, it inspires me to write something that will make someone else feel that way.
Of course there is a wide genre of what you can read, including picture books that help visually. Historical books offer the best of both worlds, as well as craft or motivation books.
When I want to write poetry, it usually helps when I read poetry, something about reading someone else’s words make my own flow.
For this I’d say read different genres and see what works for you.
5. History
One of the more interesting ways to become inspired is to delve back in time. Various times I’ve read a piece of history and got inspired. When I was in Prague on a tour, the tour guide was telling us this interesting story, afterwards it stayed with me and I ended up writing a short story based on the actual event. I’m not saying go read a 500 page book on the history of pirates, I’m saying find a topic you like and then read about it (and if it is pirates that interest you, go for it!)
6. Art
Art is another source which is often overlooked. It can be places underneath photos, history of places and that’s what makes it so great and rewarding. Art is all around us. We see art on a daily basis whether we realise it or not. Art can be the simple things like chairs to graffiti on an abandoned building. My favourite form of art is the art you find in museums and galleries. Paintings and sculptures are fascinating; they show you something you haven’t seen before. They let you have a peak into the artists’ thoughts and feelings. No matter how you interpret art, there is something that is going to speak to you, you just have to listen.
Various times I’ve been at galleries and art museums and walked out feeling inspired, excited to open my notebook and pour out my thoughts.
7. Nature
Although nature could be placed under places, I choose to give it its own spotlight. If you have had a creative block and no one has ever told you to take a walk, then I will tell you now: go take a walk.
Not only will the fresh air open your mind, but you might find or see something that will help your inspiration bloom. Nature has a way of speaking to the soul in ways human material can’t always compete with. Thousand (if not millions) of poems are dedicated to nature, those poets didn’t sit inside to find that inspiration, they went outside into nature herself.
I’ll say it again: go take a walk.
(Remember a water bottle; I don’t want you to get dehydrated)
8. Experience
Personal experiences might also spark something inside of you. Using experiences you’ve been through in your writing can help enhance it, because you have the emotions connected to it. It can be anything, from a breakup to finding a childhood toy after ten years. This also works for good and bad experiences, but don’t force it if the inspiration doesn’t come naturally.
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I hope you found my post on inspiration helpful. I know sometimes nothing helps, not even the one thing you can count on. Just know that you aren’t alone, all creative people struggle with a creative block sometimes. Try to work through it or try to find something new you haven’t tried before. If that still doesn’t help, take a break. Inspiration never stays away for very long before it realises it misses you.
Felicia
xoxo
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