Editor's Note: This is a guest post by Emma Crees. Please read more about Emma in the footer.
Sometimes it can be hard to find inspiration to write about. Or at other times, I find I've got the inspiration but I just can't get the words to flow. Both of those situations can be very frustrating. As someone who wants to make writing a full time career I've had to find ways to overcome those.
1. Get Out of The House
I like going out of the house to write. I come to a coffee shop, get a drink and a snack, and write there. For some reason getting out of the house makes words come easier. I suspect that's because there are fewer distractions there. I'm actually writing this in my favourite coffee shop, watching people mill around and listening to some much I wouldn't have chosen but I quite like.
Inspiration is another result of getting out of the house to write. Be it in the library, on a train or anywhere else. You can people watch and it might be something someone says or does that sparks something off in your mind.
Even when I'm not specifically writing, I try to carry a pen and notebook with me so I can note down anything that comes to mind. Going for a walk or shopping for food can bring ideas, too. I think that's probably because I've stopped thinking about writing so it's not forced. Even if it isn't any good for what I'm working on now, it might be in future. That was a hard won lesson after many instances where I'd thought of something good, but by the time I got home it was gone never to be found again.
2. Meet Other Writers
I take a creative writing class. I also belong to a writer's group. Both have meant that I've met a lot of other writers, and we can spark ideas off of each other. We also give feedback. The feedback others give me is really useful.
Giving other people feedback has also helped me as a writer. I can see what others are doing and what works for them (or what doesn't work). Taking that back to my own writing with my own twist brings a new dimension to my work. Knowing that I'll be meeting with other writers on a particular day is also good motivation – I don't want to be the only one there who hasn't been writing since the last meet up, even if we're just meeting for drinks and not to write!
3. Use The Internet
Googling creative writing prompts brings up loads of sites and ideas. I've found a site I like after going through several that weren't for me. It took some looking but it's been worth it. The sheer number of sites or prompts on a site can make it hard to chose, especially as the site I like has several hundred. If I get stuck like that I go to somewhere like random.org and make myself write whichever number it comes up with. The results have been interesting, but it's definitely been worth doing!
There are also several online writing groups which can be a useful tool or support for those times when you can't get to a writing group. You can always find someone who's struggling or finding it easy, or finding success. It's a source of encouragement and support that's always available. Everyone want's to know they aren't the only one, especially as writing tends to be a bit of a lonely task at times.
4. Just Write
One of the things that the tutor recommends a lot is finding time every day be it ten minutes or longer to write. I've started trying to do that most days. I'd like to do it everyday but I've not managed it yet. It's not always easy to find the time or motivation but it helps me to feel like a writer. Plus when I then have time for a longer session I don't waste so much time unsure where I've got to. The most important rule is don't worry about spelling, or grammar, or if it makes sense. Jjust write.
Apparently that's a technique that a lot of books about writing recommend. One of them is Writing Down The Bones by Natalie Goldberg. I'm working through that one myself and I like it. I've heard it referred to as both chaos writing and free writing and it's a technique I find very useful.
There are a couple of tools on-line that are very useful for that as well. Write or Die is the one I use (I have the desktop version although the on-line one is just as good) and it's surprising how many words I can write in a short time using it. Plus I sometimes have races with myself to see if I can exceed my previous word counts. There are times when I've written a complete load of rubbish and it gets scrapped but there are also others when I get something really useful which grows into something else.
I could probably sit here a lot longer listing ways I get inspiration and make myself start writing. But at the end of the day, it just comes down to one thing: Stop worrying and start writing.
More from Julie McElroy
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Well thanks for another little artcile about writing ideas.. I also enjoy getting out writing in public places.. I find that it does somehow bring me into the flow of life. Yes.. & I guess being a ‘writer’ is somewhat of a documentor & observer of the life outseide & the life within. I call myself more of a artist, philosopher & or scientist, who likes to write. I like to begin my ongoing journal notes with.. “Meanwhile it’s now 10.39am or whatever, & here I am writing this reply to this article etc”.. I also loved the idea of going to page 68 of any book & reading the last sentence of the fourth paragraph. I am also obsessed with the exact time of everything since I am also an astrologer, so I always refer various seemingly random events & ‘conincidences’ to astrology & Jungian sychronicity. An intimate warm connection between our little lives here on Earth, in relationship to the greater Universe all around us surrounding us all like some warm Cosmic blanket.
Ok then, thanks for your great website.
I think your last point was the most important. Being a writer means getting out there and doing it day in and day out. I’d guess most people fail at writing because they pause at some point and the momentum of not writing is too much to overcome.
Anyway, I’ve put together a resource to help writers come up with character names, which can sometimes slow people down when they need to just be writing. It’s a random name generator that puts together full names (first, middle, last).
I’m hope it’s okay to share the link here, but here it is: http://www.babynametrain.com/random-name-generator/
Keep on writing!
Yes, it’s very important to balance the need of writing everyday and avoid the pressure of having to write. One writer I know practices “morning writing” – he writes immediately after he gets up, while his consciousness is not completely awake, and some random ideas flow without too much thinking. It can take 20-30 minutes. After that, he’s officially free to distract on other things, or collect ideas for the next writing session. Perhaps this approach takes out the feeling of obligation to write everyday for long hours, which sometimes may kill the inspiration.
Tina – This is good advice that I may try doing. Most of the time, I wake up thinking about random stuff anyhow. If I start my day, all those random thoughts will dissipate and then I find myself “forcing” inspiration. Thanks for the post!
Thank you, Julie. I’m glad to know that my advice may help
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Getting out the house is a good one. I can do funny things to the brain sitting alone with your computer for hours on end. Also just writing. I’ve often started an article I thought would be a bit rubbish and either the idea grew as I wrote it, or I had a better idea while doing it.
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