There are times when we come to a screeching dead halt in our writing, and we can’t seem to find any inspiration. During the times that we feel empty we look into the world for inspiration and find a world falling apart. We see soldiers fighting in wars across the seas, homeless people on the streets, and starving children in Africa. Then we find ourselves wondering how to get inspired.
I have found myself in this position many times and have wondered, how can I make a difference with my writing anyways? How do I get myself out of this situation? When these questions start to circle around in my mind I have a bad habit of leaving my computer. Which isn’t what I should do. Instead I should pull inspiration out of the un-colorful world. At this moment I can imagine that many questions are forming in your minds, like: “Devin, how do I stay inspired in a less than colorful world? How can I get inspiration when everything else around me is so uninspiring?” or something like, “How can I make color when I have none?”
These are some tough questions, but I do have answers for them. When I find myself in a funk and can’t get inspired I look deeper into the issue. That gives me inspiration and story ideas. With the soldiers who are fighting in wars across the sea, I find myself asking questions.Who are they? What are their stories? Were they married? What are their struggles and emotions? Asking this question actually inspired me when writing the short story “Christy Nelson’s Story” that I wrote for “New Branch of the Journey”.
As soon as I ask myself these questions my mind starts reeling with ideas, thoughts, characters, and plots. I want to make a difference in my reader’s lives and I know you do too. We need to remember that our less than colorful world needs our color, since we add color to the world with our words. Here are some ideas to help draw out inspiration when you don’t feel inspired.
1. Go for a walk in the wilderness
Nature has a way of bringing out the light, when you see all the issues that our world has, you get brought back to how our world should be.
“We can never have enough of nature. We must be refreshed by the sight of inexhaustible vigor, vast and titanic features, the sea-coast with its wrecks, the wilderness with its living and its decaying trees, the thunder-cloud, and the rain.” -Henry David Thoreau
My mom always told me that fresh air clears the mind and she was definitely right, besides you can get heaps of color just by stepping out into the woods. Listen to the sounds. What do you hear? What do you see? Look at all of the details.
2. Delve deeply into other things that will open your mind creatively
Do you practice another form of art? Paint? Music? Dance? Why not try something?
3. Get away from your normal setting
I am living in Brisbane, Australia (a big city if you are not familiar with it). Last weekend my boyfriend and I went to visit his Dad on the Sunshine Coast. We woke up early one morning to watch the sun rise over the Sunshine Coast. Escaping from the city inspires me, because I grew up in the country and was used to nature all around me. Something as small as getting away from your normal settings is a great way to find new ideas for stories, settings, and characters.
4. Get enough sleep
They say if you sleep enough hours in a night, that you will have a better chance of remembering your dreams. Dreams inspire! For one week I went to sleep earlier the night before and woke up earlier to write. I was amazed with how vivid my dreams were and how much easier I remembered them.
5. Get out and volunteer
Seeing good in tough situations can work wonders, it may even give you a new story idea. Use the emotions you see in people as well. Such as the pain in the homeless man’s eyes or the tears that come when you ask him how he is doing.
6. Emotion
Use the emotion you experience. Write about how you feel and how it affects you. You never know when that will help you with a character you are writing later. Keep a journal for this.
7. Silence
Go someplace and seek silence. Light some candles, pray, and meditate. Listen to relaxing music.
8. Take an online journey of inspiring blogs and websites
Check out inspiring pictures or my newest addiction = Pinterest. You can find interesting ideas for characters and settings on there.
9. Read a good book
Check out Goodreads.com.
10. Change your outlook
When things are dark, dreary, or uninspiring change your point of view, change your outlook… Look at it from someone else’s shoes. Take a pen and paper someplace to watch people and write down their story or what you think is going on in their lives.
11. Ask yourself the hard questions
Best-selling author, Steven James, once said, “You don’t have a story until you have conflict.” Since we live in a world where conflicting things happen all the time, we must pull inspiration out of the darkness around us by asking ourselves the hard questions. When you know what your character wants then you can find out what will go against your character goals.
12. If you still don’t feel inspired...
Continue to show up and write every day! I try writing 2,000 words a day. There have been a few times that I hadn’t wanted to write, but I made myself. When I read over it later I was surprised with what I’d written!
How about you? What do you do to keep the inspiration flowing?
Devin Berglund is a writer from rural Minnesota. She is currently living in Brisbane, Australia where she is a freelance writer/designer. She majored in English/Mass Communications with a Certificate in Publishing from Minnesota State University of Moorhead. She also designed a book "New Branch of the Journey" with an independent publishing company. The story she was speaking about above is also included in the book. She is currently working on her first full-length novel and can’t wait to start her search for an agent and publisher.
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About New Branch of the Journey
“Embark on an adventure with the artists, writers, and photographers from New Branch of the Journey! It is an literary/arts magazine that is thrilled to share stories, experiences, and memories that stir excitement in your life!”
