The most common questions I am asked as a writer are about inspiration.
Where do I get my inspiration. The answer is not one thing. Inspiration is set in motion by a sense or emotion. Taste, touch, sight, smell or hearing. Happy, sad, content, afraid. The brain picks up on something and sets the imagination to working on forming that into words. Creatives are wired to work with and through that process. When you write enough, it becomes automatic. Like applying the breaks when you are driving and see movement on the side of the road. Your eye catches it, your brain tells your foot to be ready to act. You are inspired to not hit whatever it is.
Not all inspiration ends in a poem or story. There are times when I see something and think, “That would be a great poem”, and it falls flat. That is not wasted time or energy. It is a skill building activity. I have a vintage suitcase on a shelf that is full of old journals, notebooks and bits of paper that may or may not ever see the light of day. For every minute of a movie, there are hours on the cutting room floor. Being inspired to write at all is part of the writing process.
What if I’m not inspired? I didn’t write for nearly two years because I was so busy concentrating on the concrete needs of life I wasn’t allowing space for inspiration to enter my mind. Ironically, I have a poem about my fear of who I would be if I didn’t write any more. Writing has been a constant companion for as long as I remember. Not writing felt sad, like I had lost an old friend. Circumstances changed and the inspiration response returned. It is a faucet, it has to be open to flow. I have been so glad to have it back in my life.
What inspired me to write today’s blog? Someone asked me where I got my inspiration. And here we are. If you are looking for inspiration you will find it. Keep a notebook handy.
