It’s a common question non-writers ask writers: Where do you find your ideas?
And, I think, most writers reply with: Where don’t I get my ideas?
Every minute of every day can be an inspiration. A story idea can come from
- a thought
- a word
- an overheard snippet of conversation
- a person who crosses our line of vision
- a news headline
- something we read in a book
- a song lyric
- a sunset
- a sunrise
- pet antics
- a dream
- an object
- a historical fact
- helpful family and friends who seem to overflow with suggestions
- a cartoon or comic strip
- a painting
- a quiet moment
- a noisy cafe
Most of my inspiration comes from dreams, journaling, or prompts. I particularly enjoy photo prompts. Seeing a photo without any context makes my muse giggle and want to come out in a tutu to play.
To say my muse gets enthusiastic with a photo prompt is accurate. On occasion, a first draft of a story from a prompt will lead to a complete story. But more often it’s some word or phrase within that first draft that leads me to a story that needs to be told – or a character that needs his or her voice heard.
In regard to journaling (which I’m back to after a too-long hiatus), I find that by clearing clutter out of my head and getting it into my journal, my mind opens up and my dreams get very visual and can inspire stories.
Other than a couple of contests that I entered, I didn’t write any fiction last year. 2013 will see several stories written, and hopefully published! I’m part of a critique group again, which gives me the accountability. So along with that and my public statement here that I’ll write more, I’ll get some stories written.
What does your muse need to be creative? What type of inspiration fires you up the most?
Lisa J. Jackson is a New England-region journalist and a year-round chocolate and iced coffee lover. She loves working with words, and helping others with their own. As Lisa Haselton, she writes fiction, co-blogs about mystery-related writing topics at Pen, Ink, and Crimes, has an award-winning blog for book reviews and author interviews, and is a chat moderator at The Writer’s Chatroom. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter.
I agree, Lisa, inspiration comes from all around. I saw Madeleine L’Engle speak some years ago, and when asked the same question from the audience, she said there were so many when she woke that it was like she had to push them aside to be able to get out of bed in the morning,.The challenge I’m finding lately is the second idea — the subplot maybe — that needs to be combined with the first. I seem to dig around or wait for that one.
Hi Yvette,
Thanks for sharing that about Madeleine – I do run into that on occasion – so many ideas/thoughts that I can’t capture them all. I’ve tried audio recording instead of writing as a way to capture more, but I still go off on tangents and can’t grab everything that was in my head.
Your challenge in finding the second idea will work out, I’m sure. Maybe you can tease it out by calling it 1a instead of 2. There’s always a trick somewhere and we each have to find what works for us. It’s part of the fun.
Hello Lisa,
Your post is so true and sometimes I can get into an inspiration overload.
My muse seems to be more musically inclined – mainly instrumental and classical.
Oh, that’s fun – music works for me sometimes. I’ve read other writers who use music while they write as a way to set the mood, or keep the mood of the book, chapter, or scene. I haven’t found that to work for me yet. Music can inspire ideas, but I can’t (usually) listen to it while I’m writing, especially if there are lyrics I know!
thank you for sharing.
Totally feel the same – I try to have a notebook with me ‘cos I get annoyed if forget an idea I had.
I carry notebooks and pens and paper, and yet still find myself at times without something necessary to capture an idea! Those are frustrating moments. And telling myself I’ll “remember it” is just silly. I’m trying to get better though, I mean, if I truly believe I won’t remember something, well, I won’t remember it!
That annoying feeling is no fun, that’s for sure. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
No problem, luckily I sit at a desk most days (or not so luckily) and am always writing down quick ideas on post-it notes too!
Lovely to hear that other people have loads of ideas floating around their head and it’s not just me! (That makes me sound a bit crazy, but I think you know what I mean!).
I have ideas *and* voices in my head…just part of being a writer.
That’s reassuring
Thank you Lisa. My hiatus has lasted too long and you have reminded me to let my muse out to play again.
Glad to help Jillian. Thanks for reading and commenting. I hope you have fun with your muse soon!
Definitely from anywhere and everywhere. I do tend to pick this up from what other people say. A short sentence uttered by a total stranger can lead my in unbelievably strange directions and before I know it, I’m forming a story in my head. It’s way down on your list, but the quiet moments when I let my mind be calm and wander wherever it wants to are some of the most creative for me. Dreams are my most prolific story-starters.
I really cannot understand the whole concept of writer’s block.
Hi Laura,
My list isn’t in any sort of priority. I just captured the points as they came to me. I like getting lost in quiet moments, but once I’m in the quiet moment and the ideas start coming, I don’t want to disturb myself in any way and lose that quietness. Even if I’m sitting with a pen and paper ready to capture ideas, just the shift of focusing from quiet and free-flowing ideas to looking at the page in order to write is enough to make the ideas stop. Quiet moments are exceptional for idea generation though, I think! Sometimes I wish I could reach in and pull out the best ones before they float away!
Writer’s block is an interesting topic. I’ve never feared the blank page, just wrestle with what should go on it first!
i get most inspirations from reading good books. But sometimes I am inspired by a movie, or an interesting conversation that makes me ponder.
Morning is the time of day the best ideas come to me. Perhaps my creative mind is more fully awake then?
Hi Jennifer,
I have a peak of creativity early in the morning too. For me, it’s more of being innocent of the day ahead – as long as I don’t start thinking about what has to be done or what is on my desk, if I can keep that initial wakeful ‘innocence’ my creativity is quite high.
‘Ponder’ is my favorite word.
thanks for reading and commenting!
I guess my answer would be the same, I just call her Life….
Life is good.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
I ticked off almost everything on Lisa’s list but I had to erase the describe as a writer, that is a dream, and now I am wide awake.
Thanks for sharing, anyway
Just the past couple of weeks, I have taken 2 songs by singer-songwriter John Prine and expanded them into a longer poem and piece of flash fiction. He has such a large body of great work, I’m thinking it might be a worthy project to somehow combine his songs and produce one sustained novel inspired by them. It’s something I’m thinking of, anyway.
Thanks for the post.
You’re welcome. Thanks for sharing your inspiration and project. Sounds fun!
Reblogged this on arssporti.
This post brings forth the importance your environment (the one thing you have control over, to a certain extent) and the important role it plays in your inspiration,
It can be something a simple as the music you enjoy listening to,or people that surround you , that give you a different perspective on life, one you would otherwise not see…
I have personally noticed I have been getting a lot more inspired by simply being outside, in different environments, watching life move around me and taking it all in, it is then when the most sudden and violent urges to write come hehe. Or simply talking to people I enjoy talking to, people that make me say “hold that thought” while I scribble down an idea before I let them speak any further.
Hence, I always try to be outside and/or talk to people that help me “think outside of the box”, as much possible
The moral being, try to be aware of what inspires you and do not shy away from conversation or situations you are not familiar with.
Yes, exactly! Thanks for sharing about your inspiration and giving us so much detail. It’s very true. I enjoy getting new ideas from the same things. There is so much out there in the cosmos for us to play with – I find it exciting when I recognize what works best (for me) at any given time, so the muse can take full advantage.
Reblogged this on A Goat's Tale and commented:
An awesome post on how to find writing inspiration!
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Thank you!
I get inspired while driving however and the mundane stuff I see around me. I don’t always remember to write them down later. I have looked into carrying a recorder.
A recorder is particularly handy when driving.
One person’s ‘mundane’ is another person’s ‘inspiration’. It’s all good, and I think we are able to remember/capture those items that we need to at the time. And if we don’t grab them the first time, they somehow make their way around to us again.
thanks for reading and commenting!
I get mine from a busy brain that can’t shut up. I know we’re all supposed to quiet our minds and center and focus and all that, but I’d be terrified to even try.
We all work differently, Julie. I think it’s great to have a steady flow of inspiration – as long as you don’t feel overwhelmed! Thank you for reading and commenting.
My idea came from the 2003 version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and has grown from there. Reading about new scientific finds and books by Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan have really helped. Some has come from TV and movies; but mostly music. The main artists I get inspiration from are Tori Amos and Aimee Mann. I use music as an outline. Good luck with your writing.
Wow, I wish I was that specific, Jessica. Happy writing to you, too!
The old me would have ideas for stories while in inconvenient places where I had no means, other than memory, to record them. The following day I would agonize over having lost such great ideas. But I know now, that was a cop out.
Great ideas don’t make great stories. I’m sure we all have accumulated enough experiences to create near endless amounts of literature. We still have to sit down and do the work. I find my inspiration simply by turning off the television and sitting down to write. One idea will lead to another and another and another. Make the commitment. The ideas will come.
Excellent points. Sitting down and writing is the best way to get the work done, and ideas *do* come.