Motivation; Getting Inspired

Inspiration is often defined as "the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions." As writers and artists, we know when we have inspiration, and we certainly know when we are lacking it! 

 

While all artists seek inspiration, the job of a writer is not only to gain enough inspiration to write, but to share his or her inspiration with others. This is often done through writing: creating characters that stand in, to some extent, for us or people we know, dialogue, the personas and speakers who portray or communicate ideas, and various other literary elements.

 

Here is what some writers have said to inspire us to write: 

• "Any [person] who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he’ll eventually make some kind of career for himself as writer." - Ray Bradbury
• "A blank piece of paper is God’s way of telling us how hard it to be God." - Sidney Sheldon
• "Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer." - Barbara Kingsolver
• "If you have other things in your life—family, friends, good productive day work—these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer." - David Brin
• "Most of the basic material a writer works with is acquired before the age of fifteen." - Willa Cather
• "Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good." - William Faulkner
• "Fiction is about stuff that’s screwed up." - Nancy Kress
• "Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up." - Jane Yolen

Inspiration is a gift as precious as gold. Sometimes you strike it rich, other times its absence makes you starve. As you move through this course, decide to find inspiration to try your best. Sometimes this will be easy. Sometimes this will be hard. If you ever feel like giving up, come back to this assignment and fill up your cup with inspiration.

 

How to Find Inspiration:

• Take a walk, get some fresh air or get out into nature when you are feeling stressed.
• Take a hot shower or bath. Find daily ways to relax.
• Get some sleep. Stress is more likely to occur when we are tired.
• Read a book. Watch a movie. Listen to a friend read a poem. The more we interact with the written word, the more inspiration we find to try it ourselves.
• Create a space for yourself where you can write.
• Enjoy silence. Sitting and breathing deeply in silence can help us relax.
• Interact with the arts: listen to music, dance, memorize a speech, doodle or paint, play a game.
• Find inspiration in the last place anyone might look for it.