My Writing Guide

Inspiration and where to find it.

No matter how much you love writing, there will be days when you can't think of a single thing to write about. And it can get tough. In fact, I could argue that inspiration is not just a desirable thing, it's an important part of the writing process.

Every writer needs to find inspiration in order to produce inspired writing. And sometimes it can be the most unlikely of sources. Here is a list of some of my favorite ways to finding resources:

1.) Blogs - There are dozens of blogs out there with so much momentum to start you off. Look around for blogs that dive into writing or art, but don't be afraid to look for other blogs that are completely out of that realm. There are dozens upon dozens of blogs with every topic under the sun.

2.) Books - This is definitely one of my favorites. I love reading other stories and how the author uses their own ideas and transforms them. You can branch off of a part of their idea and change it into something completely different or you can find inspiration in quotes.

3.) Reality - Just watching what's going on around you or dwelling in history can inspire you. When you draw your ideas from history, they'll most likely be easily made even more realistic. Although, adding your own ideas can create a much more enticing story. When you watch around you, many things can happen without you realizing it. You just have to pay attention.

4.) Forums - When people write on forums, they rarely do so for style or beauty (there are exceptions, of course, but they're rare). People write on forums in order to convey information and ideas. Still, those ideas can be beautiful and inspiring in and of themselves. They can inspire multiple ideas for you. That doesn't mean you have to read a wide array of forums every day, but of you're looking for information, forums aren't a bad idea.

5.) Art - For the writer aspiring to greater heights, there is no better inspiration then art. While it might not compare to seeing art in person, I like to put creative works of art around my room and on my computer. A good idea is to create a folder on a computer to stockpile some good pieces of artwork for when you need it.

6.) Music - Along the same lines, it can be inspiring to listen to great music, from Mozart to the Beatles to Black Veil Brides. Play it in the background as you write or listen to it before hand.

7.) Writing Groups - Whether online or in your community, writing groups are a great way to get energy and motivation for your writing. My best short stories were done in a writing group I joined at school. You can easily get feedback from others and improve your writing voice and technique.

8.) Quotes - I don't know why, but great quotes help inspire me. I either go Google it or go on quote websites to spark inspiration.

9.) Religion - Many people aren't religious and many are, but it doesn't matter much. The great religions in the world have ideas in them as well. I've studies quite a few religions, such as Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, and many cultures with multiple Gods. I can't say I'm an expert of any of these religions, but I can say that any time I've spent reading the ideas of religion have pain off for me in inspiration.

20.) Dreams - To be honest, I'm not very good at this one. But at one point, you could have a brilliant dream, and them BAM ... it's gone. So I suggest keeping a dream journal next to your bed just in case. I haven't had much experience, but there are numerous authors who have written books based on their own dreams.

21.) Google - Google is the savior for almost everything. If you're stuck, Google has thousands of suggestions. Google has often helped me out in my darkest writer block moments.

22.) Free writing - One of the best ways to get out of the rut is to just write it out. Just start writing. Anything, it doesn't matter. Don't edit, don't pause, don't overthink...... just write. You'll probably end up with some garbage (maybe not) but it will bring out the good stuff.

23,) Brainstorming - This is the one I use the most. But instead of free writing, you're writing down ideas. Just let them flow. Who cares of it's crap. Speed and quantity is more important then quality at this moment. Within this brainstorm of ideas, you'll most likely find gold nuggets of greatness buried in there.

24.) People watching - This is an interesting activity for any writer. Go to a busy public place and just sit and watch people. They'll amuse you, inspire you, fascinate you. There's nothing more inspiring than humanity.

25.) Breaking your routines - Get out of your rut to see things from a new perspective. If you usually take one route to work, try a couple others. If you usually get up, get ready for work, and leave, try exercising in the morning or watching the sunrise. If you usually watch TV at the end of the day, try reading or writing instead. Shake things up.