Let me guess; you’re seeking how to get inspiration for writing. Well, I get it.
Another week has passed, and you haven’t made progress in your writing. Your earlier goal was to finish at least two books within three months.
Unfortunately, the first month has passed, and you haven’t made any tangible progress. What could be wrong? You have never had it this bad.
Your fellow writers have written tons of books while you’re there with only a handful of books to your name.
Firstly, don’t beat yourself up. The problem is that you lack the inspiration to write. It happens most of the time. But it is an issue you can fix, and I’m ready to show you how. Keep reading to find out.
How To Get Inspiration For Writing
Here are some tips to get you writing again. Use them to inspire and get your creative juices flowing once again.
Are you ready? If yes, dive in!
1: Write something:
Lack of inspiration isn’t the only factor that can make you stop writing. Lack of creativity can, too. You won’t flow like you used to.
A great way to get inspired and unlock your creativity is to keep writing. Abandon the original story or topic you were writing. Just write whatever comes to mind.
This technique is known as free-writing. You write whatever comes to your head.
A Handy Tip: When practicing free writing, don’t stop to edit or criticize your work. Just write.
Most writers claim it’s unnecessary to read after writing when practicing free writing, but I have a different view on this.
I like to read my work, even though it’s just free-writing. It helps connect my subconscious with the conscious, unlocking new ideas.
Another thing writers should do when practicing free writing is to set a time limit. It can be 10, 15, or 20 minutes. Set an alarm and stop writing when the alarm goes off, so you don’t spend much time doing free-writing.
If you follow this technique, you can unlock your creativity and start writing again. Remember, you can write about any subject when practicing free writing. It is even the best thing to do.
2: Get creative fuel from TV shows:
Are you surprised that you can get writing inspiration from TV shows? Don’t be. Remember that your favorite show was once a script written by someone.
The characters on the screen aren’t told what to do on set. They had a script, practiced it, and are now acting it.
You can get inspiration to kick-start your writing project by watching your favorite TV shows. Just pay attention and note every detail.
Focus on the TV show’s storytelling, dialogue, and creativity. You can even use the ideas from the show in your writing, though make yours a bit different.
A Handy Tip: One TV show is enough to inspire you and unlock your creativity. Resist the urge to spend the entire day watching movies or TV shows. You’ll end up draining your mental energy and getting super exhausted.
You may struggle to put your thoughts together when battling with mental exhaustion. The same goes for fatigue. You won’t have the motivation to write once you’re fatigued.
3: Turn on the music:
Like watching TV shows, listening to music can help unlock your creativity and give you the mental boost to keep writing.
Music is another form of storytelling, just like TV shows. Additionally, it can conjure images in your mind, just as reading does.
You can get inspiration from any music. Furthermore, you can watch the music videos or listen to the audio.
Do whatever works for you. For me, I listen to classical music. It takes my mind on a journey and gets my creative juice flowing.
A Handy Tip: Listen to your favorite songs. And ensure the music isn’t too loud.
The environment you’re in also matters. Go to a quiet place to meditate and let the music sink deep.
4: Tap from your childhood experiences:
Your childhood experiences, the ones you can still remember though, can serve as valuable resources and inspire you to start writing. Reliving your childhood memories can open up your creative spirit. Additionally, some things you did as a child can shape your new book and make it more interesting.
Children are pretty adventurous. You cannot take it away from them. There is also the magical aspect of how kids see the world. Adults don’t see it that way.
How can you tap from your childhood experiences? Start taking notes. Take notes of events in your childhood you can clearly remember.
The notes don’t have to be a complete story. Just write down your experiences one after the other.
A Handy Tip: Tobias Wolff, an author, took inspiration and ideas from notes he wrote about his childhood. He even relied on the notes to write one of his books, “This Boy’s Life.”
I understand that not everyone had a pleasant childhood. Not everyone is lucky to have grandparents around them to give stories of their childhood or had a great childhood with lots of memories.
Just write whatever you can. Don’t let the fact that you didn’t have a great childhood hold you down. All stories aren’t the same. Your childhood story is unique, and your readers will see it that way.
Reliving your childhood and remembering past images can help open the gates of your creative mind. So, engage in it. You’ll have a valuable resource and get inspiration to draft your book.
5: Reconnect with your friends:
You can get inspiration for writing by interacting with your friends. You can do it via phone, face-to-face, or video calls.
Friends can stir up your idea bank or infuse far more superior ideas into your work. They can contribute fresh ideas that will cause you to start seeing whatever you’re writing from another angle.
I like connecting with old friends I haven’t been with for months or years. It’s easier to interact with them for an extended period because we miss each other’s company.
The bottom line is to engage friends who are good communicators. You won’t achieve anything when you interact with friends who like to stay mute and let you do all the talking.
You can even bring the topic you’re writing into the discussion creatively. However, be neutral so your friends can speak their minds and not hold anything back during the discussion.
6: Try people-watching:
Have you ever tried people-watching to get writing inspiration? I have, and it was the coolest thing ever. It can help you develop new ideas for your story and even free up some space in your mind to accommodate new ideas.
People-watching allows you to shift your mind to something else and have a clear head when you return to your writing. You’ll profit significantly from the change of scenery, too.
A Handy Tip: Study the characters (people) when you people-watch. Note their behaviors, actions, appearances, movements, dressing, communication, and every important detail.
You can draw inspiration for the character in your story when you people-watch. A scene or event that suits your story may also play out. That’s what can happen when you people-watch.
7: Turn to your latest and old love letters:
Writers get love letters from their readers. It doesn’t have to be romantic letters; this isn’t what I meant either.
If you have been writing for a while, whether books or blogs, you must have received compliments from your readers. Store the positive and soul-lifting compliments the same way you store your love letters. You would need them when seeking writing inspiration.
The compliments can be in the form of comments on your blog or emails. It doesn’t matter. Keep a file of all your positive compliments.
Revisiting positive compliments from your readers and seeing how much they love your work can motivate you to write more. Seeing the number of lives you have touched via your writing can help inspire you.
A Handy Tip: You don’t have to discard negative comments or compliments. Surprisingly, criticism can help improve your writing.
But you should know this today. You don’t need to look at the negative comments when you’re down and seeking inspiration to write. You won’t get inspiration this way.
Focus on the positive compliments alone. Get some inspiration and start writing.
8: Feast on documentaries
Do you like watching documentaries? Even if you don’t, you have to start liking them. I remember watching some documentaries and saying, “I wish I wrote that.
Being authentic makes documentaries have a significant impact on viewers. In addition to picking up writing inspiration, documentaries can serve as valuable resources for your work.
A Handy Tip: Find documentaries on things that pique your interest. Check YouTube and TV stations that show documentaries.
You may benefit more by reading non-fiction books and even biographies about the documentary you intend to watch. It will give you a better understanding of the subject and help expand your creative mind.
9: Take a break from your neighborhood:
You have been living in your area for months or years now. You have seen it all. You know almost everyone in your neighborhood. You are practically familiar with their daily routine.
In my books, you’re indeed a wonderful neighbor. But now you need to leave town. Travel to a new place, meet new people, try new dishes, make new friends, and more. There are no better ways to find writing inspiration than this.
Traveling to a new place does not imply moving to another country or state. But if you have the finances, why not; traveling to another country will give you a new experience.
I want you to travel to a different place you haven’t been to. A neighborhood in your state of residence should suffice.
A Handy Tip: You don’t have to start writing a whole book in the new location you traveled to. You can write notes, take pictures, videos, and even audio recordings. These materials will prove valuable when you get home and start writing.
10: Interact with your grandparents:
You are missing out if you haven’t interacted with older people and heard their stories. Trust me. Speaking to the dying has taught me that our elderly have much to teach the younger generations.
You can talk to your grandparents if they’re still alive. It can be in person or via phone, whichever is convenient.
I enjoy interacting with the elderly face-to-face. The emotions they express while speaking make the story enjoyable.
When you meet your grandparents or talk to older people, ask them about their young adulthood and ensure they tell you the lessons they learned.
You can ask your grandparents (or older people) what they would like to change about themselves if they had a second chance to be their younger selves.
A Handy Tip: Try recording the story so that you can have a chance to replay it repeatedly and not miss any detail.
Most people prefer to take notes, but this may not work for this situation. Older people like to be respectful and may decide to speak slower to allow you to write.
Conclusion
You have read how to get inspiration for writing. I discussed ten strategies that can help restore your writing inspiration.
You must be ready to seek writing inspiration. Remember, you only find what you seek. Try different techniques to find the one that works for you.
Getting inspiration for writing isn’t a difficult task. You need to identify what works for you and use it to your advantage. Once you find your writing inspiration, the sky will be your limit. You’ll be able to hit your writing goals and produce valuable books.
