The “Write” Inspiration

I’ve done it again. I go around and brag about how great I’ve been doing lately with the momentum of my writing. And, all of a sudden…WALL!!! I must have spent two or three hours last night staring at a blank page. It’s crazy because Friday nights are usually one of my more creative nights. Well, not the case. Nope, last night I kept popping open my laptop, writing a few sentences and quickly finding myself backspacing until a little demon cursor danced once more in constant mockery. Nothing was firing, everything I wrote seemed way too forced. After several failed attempts, I finally gave in and went into some Youtube wormhole.

Fast forward to right now, on the first Saturday evening of Spring, I find myself before a laptop screen once again. Only, this time feeling rejuvenated. All the credit for that goes to getting outside today. I even posted a quote earlier because it was beautiful when I got up this morning. I could actually feel that it was Spring. Yup, as soon as I hit publish on that quote, I immediately started to feel more and more “writey”. It was like blowing exhaust out of an old car tailpipe that had been covered up all winter. Now that the engine is back up and running, may as well slip it in gear and explore the very context of this entry.

As a blogger, you have to have some go-to strategies for snapping back into a writing binge. Tips and tricks to help focus and stay consistent. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that creativity can be a beast to tame. There’s no telling how long the effects of being bitten by the writing bug will last. So, sometimes, you have to find ways to trigger that very beast inside you. I figured I’d share some of mine with all of you:

• Reading Books – there’s nothing better than finding inspiration in the words of others. I get some of my best ideas after a good read from one of my favourite authors.

• Reading Blogs – mirroring the above, I also get super motivated after reading the work of my blogging peers. There’s so much talent here on WordPress. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been pushed into wanting to create after reading the awesome work of my fellow writers. If you have blog suggestions, please tag them this post and share all those voices.

• Going Outside – come on, this one’s easy. Who doesn’t get inspired by a walk in the park or taking the dog around the pond for a run? Yeah, when I’m a funk, I venture outside. My blog is practically full of nature-inspired content.

• Listening to music – I use this a lot to write actually. I slap on some jazz and before I know it, I’m lost in my thoughts and feeling pretty good. Bop, bop…bop! If at least, you’re relaxing which often leads to inspiration. Here’s a link to a Spotify Playlist I use.

• Reminiscing – I’m a huge nostalgia guy, my hardcore followers know that about me. I’m constantly in a ponder thinking about the days of old. Some of my own personal favourite posts were influenced by the past.

• Google – I do find myself googling from time to time looking for fresh ideas, real-world stories and much more in hopes of prompting something inside of me. I also use the internet to help refine my craft by learning more about what it takes to be a good writer/blogger.

• Good Conversation – can’t beat a good conversation. Maybe it’s my old soul, but I take a lot away from my chats with friends, loved ones, even strangers. Some of those interactions wind up being written about in my paper journal.

• Journalling – running with the idea of journals. I write in a paper journal every day. Could be a single word and might be 500. But, I always kept the habit of writing in a physical journal. It helps me capture thoughts and ideas on the fly, and on paper. It’s more tangible, more real. It’s where the raw me exists and all I need to do is open a page and simply regurgitate what I have written or use a scribbled note to expand on it here on my blog.

• The Writer’s Devotional – the Writer’s Devotional by Amy Peters is a book that has become my holy grail of inspiration. I bought this book about three years ago and have read it maybe four times. If you take only one thing away from this post, please let it be this book. It’s a 365-day book of inspirational exercise, ideas, tips and motivations on writing. I suggest the actual book, I’m a real book in your hands kind of guy and this one has become somewhat of a side-kick. Here’s the link to it on Amazon if you want to give it a look. A great book is my review. One quick peruse of this 365-day writer’s devotional will definitely have you writing in no time.

Well, that’s about it. I think I’ve sprinkled a good portion of Spring inspiration on your day, and in turn, I think it’s gotten me through a bout of block. Win-win all around. So folks, before I go. What are some of the ways you get through a creative block? How do you stay inspired? What are some tools in your arsenal that help bring out that creativity that you know is inside of you? How do you tap into that? Let me know in the comments and remember, never stop creating!!!

Until…