Let’s be realistic. Writing, just like any other art form, requires inspiration. And sometimes you don’t have any. The lack of it can be an actual challenge in your pursuit of writing something. Whether you are trying to write a book, a blog, or a college assignment, all you need is one idea to spark off.
Inspiration is more of a state of mind where ideas seem to flow easily, and you feel motivated to keep exploring them. It is what helps you keep going and even pulls you out of your writer’s block. However, successful authors don’t wait for a sudden burst of an idea and call it a day. Instead, they work every day to find inspiration and write.
So, if you want to know where and how you can find inspiration for writing, keep reading.
6 Ways to Find Inspiration That Work
Those who write fictional stories or books look for inspiration in their daily lives. They have to find an idea along with the desire to work on it. However, if your work is purely research-based, and you don’t have to look for an idea elsewhere, your job narrows down to looking only for inspiration to write. Students are luckier in this sense, as they can opt for essay writing services if they are stuck on their assignments. But if you are determined to write everything yourself, here are six easy ways to find inspiration.
Read, Read, & Read
This piece of advice may seem vague. But reading is an ultimate source of inspiration for writers. This is why most prominent authors make it a habit to read daily or 4-5 times a week. When you read someone else’s work, an idea may stick out to you. Or you may get into that creative flow you have been looking for.
Even better, read something that you don’t like. Famous author, Richard Siken, has popularly commented that when he reads the work he hates, he gets motivated to make something of the opposite nature. This can work great for some people. Though for some, it may not work at all.
Write Everyday
Writing every day is difficult when you don’t have the inspiration. But this is how you are going to draw it. This consistency will rewire your brain and, eventually, bring you the motivation to write. So try your hand at freewriting every day. To help yourself further, get a calendar and mark every date with ‘X’ after finishing writing. This streak will keep you going.
Take a Break or Write About Something Else
If you are stuck because you cannot connect your research points or can’t streamline your ideas, take a break. There are many ways to reset your brain and look at your scattered work from a fresh perspective. For starters, think of something else and start writing about it. Some of the writing break ideas you can pick are:
- Go out, observe a person, imagine what their life is, and write about it;
- Look at something normal and make it complicated by inserting hypothetical elements;
- Read a story, change a character, and rewrite it;
- Recollect a memory, insert ‘what if,’ rethink the whole situation from this new perspective, and write about it;
- Think of something peculiar in your personality and about what led you to adopt this characteristic.
If you don’t want to write, you can take a walk, play a game you like, or just relax with some music. The trick is to take a break from work where you feel stuck at the moment.
Figure Out What Triggers Your Creativity
For some people, meditation brings inspiration, while for some, a rigorous exercise routine is what helps keep them motivated. You have to find what works best for you and stick to it. Habit creation is something you must strive for. It is easy to slip back and start procrastinating from this unique activity when your creativity is flowing. But to keep it alive, you must pursue it daily. You can try different activities and figure out what gets you in the right mood.
Work on a Different Project Altogether
Sometimes, if you are stuck with an idea and can’t move forward, it is best to put it on hold and switch between projects. This technique helps you refresh, and the creativity flows more naturally when you return to your current project. So, instead of taking a break, try taking up another task of a different kind and work on it. Then, once you finish this new project, try working on the previous one again.
Take Inspiration From Others
This advice can be easily mistaken for plagiarism, but hear it out. If you can’t find inspiration to articulate your own work, take a write-up that interests you, read it carefully, and try to craft something similar. You can even read one paragraph at a time and simply paraphrase it. It is for practice purposes only. You can’t and shouldn’t publish it anywhere.
After drawing inspiration from others’ work, once you feel you are filled with motivation, get back to working on your write-up from scratch. Try this hack if nothing else seems to be working for you.
The Bottom Line
The inspiration to write can be found through consistent effort. Furthermore, it is best to get into a routine and work on healthy habits. We hope you found the above hacks useful in your pursuit to find the inspiration you are missing.
