Words are my life. So much so that I have sometimes wondered whether I have letters running through my veins instead of blood.
All jokes aside, I simply can't imagine a life without writing and reading. Which brings me to the point I want to get across today: Every aspect of life can be incorporated in writing and serve as an inspiration.
All too often, you hear a writer complain that their muse has left them and they don't know where to get writing inspiration from. That is something I just can't understand. Yes, writer's block does exist and I do know that sometimes, you don't feel like writing or you aren't satisfied with what you write – but that doesn't mean that there is a lack of inspiration. To me, a writer isn't somebody who sits with their pen hovering over the page or their fingers poised over the keyboard, waiting for that magical voice to whisper a story into their ear. To me, writing comes from within myself and can be 'inspired' by anything and everyone.
Just living will surely provide you with an abundance of writing prompts. Listening to the news, watching people when you are out and about, dealing with problems, experiencing happiness, interacting with family, friends and colleagues, reading somebody else's work or taking a walk with open eyes and ears will serve as a treasure-trove of inspiration.
Sometimes, a name I stumble upon, a face I see in the crowd, some incident that happens to me or that somebody tells me about, a dream or a random thought I wake up with leaves me with an itch to turn it into a story, novel, episode, side-note or blog article.
Whether it is the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the music we listen to, the feelings inside us or a will to share and teach something, the simplest factors may trigger brilliant writing. Even fantasy stories and science-fiction are inspired by what happens in real life. More often than not, they stem from the wish to change reality or to show things in a different light. If you take contemporary romance, you will notice that the stories revolve around people like you and me, facing life.
All jokes aside, I simply can't imagine a life without writing and reading. Which brings me to the point I want to get across today: Every aspect of life can be incorporated in writing and serve as an inspiration.
All too often, you hear a writer complain that their muse has left them and they don't know where to get writing inspiration from. That is something I just can't understand. Yes, writer's block does exist and I do know that sometimes, you don't feel like writing or you aren't satisfied with what you write – but that doesn't mean that there is a lack of inspiration. To me, a writer isn't somebody who sits with their pen hovering over the page or their fingers poised over the keyboard, waiting for that magical voice to whisper a story into their ear. To me, writing comes from within myself and can be 'inspired' by anything and everyone.
Just living will surely provide you with an abundance of writing prompts. Listening to the news, watching people when you are out and about, dealing with problems, experiencing happiness, interacting with family, friends and colleagues, reading somebody else's work or taking a walk with open eyes and ears will serve as a treasure-trove of inspiration.
Sometimes, a name I stumble upon, a face I see in the crowd, some incident that happens to me or that somebody tells me about, a dream or a random thought I wake up with leaves me with an itch to turn it into a story, novel, episode, side-note or blog article.
Whether it is the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the music we listen to, the feelings inside us or a will to share and teach something, the simplest factors may trigger brilliant writing. Even fantasy stories and science-fiction are inspired by what happens in real life. More often than not, they stem from the wish to change reality or to show things in a different light. If you take contemporary romance, you will notice that the stories revolve around people like you and me, facing life.
Inspiration is everywhere
Ultimately, writing is a process that comes from within. You can take everything happening outside as a trigger, use all the advice you can get and even hunt actively for inspiration, but it is your will to write and what you make out of the input that counts in the end. Nobody can write your book for you – yes, I know, people have books and articles ghost-written all the time (my job!) but that is not what I'm talking about. Your writing is what you yourself have thought up and put down on paper or typed on your computer. Whatever the inspiration, you are the driving force behind the wheel and not the car being driven.
That is why, in my eyes, writing is living and living is writing.
Let's hear your thoughts on the whole matter! Do you have special things that inspire you? Do you use writing prompts like the wonderful ones found here on Facebook? From what do you get your best ideas? Leave me a comment because I’m always interested in learning how my fellow writers go about their tasks.
That is why, in my eyes, writing is living and living is writing.
Let's hear your thoughts on the whole matter! Do you have special things that inspire you? Do you use writing prompts like the wonderful ones found here on Facebook? From what do you get your best ideas? Leave me a comment because I’m always interested in learning how my fellow writers go about their tasks.
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