Writing and inspiration

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   kevinbrown55posted 12 years ago

   Hello fellow hubbers. I am Kevin, a creative writer at heart. I valuue the process of generating fresh ideas for writing projects. What does everyone else do to maximize their creativity? When the going gets rough, what do my wonderful hubbers like to do to stay inspired? I am trying to pursue a career in writing and am open to any feedback and suggestions. Thank you!

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      JayDeckposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I have a muse that inspires me to dream and create. Then I write.

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      Erlz12posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I'm a creative writer at heart too. Usually, before I write, I listen to music. It can be anything: pop, rock, ballad, classical, etc. The type of music will depend on what I'm writing. But once I start writing, I turn off the music.

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   kevinbrown55posted 12 years ago

   Yes, music does help doesn't it? It depends on what I write also.m If I'm working on something that has tension, I tend to listen to something like rap music. when I'm writing a scene with exposition or one that it is more relaxed, I do classical. Depending on what I'm writing helps me decide if I want to continue playing the music while I write. Thanks for the thoughtful insight!

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   Lisa HWposted 12 years ago

   On here I write non-fiction only (unless I've dabbled a time or two in writing a poem).  I probably shouldn't admit this, but my "inspiration" comes from one of two things:  Either wanting to try to be helpful to someone, or else anger.  If I'm trying to be helpful to someone (whether I'm imagining someone "out there" or there's really someone who has asked for ideas/information), I'll pretend I'm with them, and I'll write what I'd say to them (except without taking a break for them to respond).  Out it comes - hundreds of words, because what could be said in ten minutes amounts to hundreds of typewritten words.  If it's not quite wanting to be directly helpful to someone, it's similar when I'm aiming to be helpful in general by imagining (or seeing) a discussion about something; and thinking up what I have to share on the subject. 
   
   The other thing is going with what's often short-term anger.  A recent example is a thread on here when someone made an assertion about countries like the U.S.  On the one hand, I don't take anything on here very seriously.  On the other, the short-term, immediate, reaction of being temporarily aggravated makes for Hub material.  (Whether or not I make it a Hub is a separate thing.)  Why any anger at all?  In an instance like that it might be that I've become sick of people "attacking" America and seldom seeming to stand up for it.  Or, it could be being sick of people making blanket remarks like, "Why do all women ____________" or "Why do men always ___________".  Those are button-pushers for me, so I make use of them when I can.
   
   Even when I'm not having a quickie-flash of anger that will pass at quickly as he comes, I have lower level anger about things that go on in the world (people not treating other people with respect, relationships ending over misunderstanding, whatever).   So, I use all that kind of stuff as "inspiration" to write.  When I don't think it up on my own, I'll often go looking for stuff that I think is wrong (), get "inspired", and write in one place or another.
   
   Also, though, I'll use the especially meaningful things and experiences that happen in life, or else I'll think about the really, really, meaningful emotions in one situation or another.
   
   Basically, the stuff in life that goes on. (I don't have a shred of imagination - really - , so the stuff that goes on in life is all I have.    )
   
   See this post I just did, and how long it is?  Trying to contribute what I have to the discussion....       Hope it helps someone get some ideas. 

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   TheInspiredLifeposted 12 years ago

   I go out for walks and take hot showers. When I already know what I want to write about but am stuck for a creative angle or approach, I take a hot shower and an idea will hit me every time! When I take long walks I end up with so many ideas I have to rush back into the house and catch them on paper before they get away. I walk without music or any other distraction, and the ideas just flow. I also tend to just get ideas when I try to go to sleep...that happens far too often for my health because I have to get up and write them down, I can't help it.
   
   I have gone through periods where these ideas were not coming and everything I wrote felt stiff and forced. Things I do now to keep the idea tap on include working through The Artist's Way (a very powerful book if you really commit to the process and do the morning pages), freewriting my 3 pages every morning (from the artist's way), and turning people I see and meet into characters in my head. I am always turning people into characters and imagining what their life may be like, where they might be going, how much they paid for their shoes, and why they chose those names for their children. Those little imaginary scenarios lead me to writing ideas and my fiction pieces never suffer for characters, they are always in my head.

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