To start off, I would like to tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a tired, drained, stressed college student who had two hours to write the last poem in her poetry class, and she had no inspiration. That student was me, of course, and that evening was very traumatic.
I had tried all day long to come up with something to write my poem on, but inspiration was at an all-time low. After hours of struggle, I decided to take a break. I fixed a cup of tea (always a good idea) and sat down with my iPad to look at Pinterest. I popped over to my "Words" board, where I'd stashed away all those great quotes that come flying across the Pinterest homepage. As I was scrolling through them, I saw two quotes from The Great Gatsby, and suddenly I had an epiphany. I tossed aside my iPad, grabbed a sheet of paper, and wrote down my poem. I incorporated the two quotes into a story I'd already been thinking about using, and the finished product was my best work to date.*
*As a side note, this story is very useful in justifying the amount of time I spend on Pinterest.
Since then, I have used Pinterest several times to help with inspiration, whether it is with a few great quotes, or just looking at some beautiful pictures of the ocean or beach.
Walking or biking is another wonderful way to find inspiration. One of my suitemates (I can't write a post and not include them, it seems!) recently sent me an infograph of the creative routines of various famous authors, thinkers, scientists and artists. My suitemate pointed out that many of these famous people included some amount of walking in their daily routine. She walks a good deal herself, especially when she is stressed, and she has encouraged me to do the same. It is remarkable how simultaneously calming and stimulating a walk can be!
I have already mentioned how important it is to write in community. Inspiration comes more naturally when you are surrounded by people who encourage your creative talent. It would be impossible to number the times that my writing friends have encouraged and inspired me, whether through their words, works, suggestions, or lives.
Lastly, the greatest, deepest, and longest-lasting inspiration often comes through reading. The works you read have a profound effect on your creative life, and influence the way you write and think. Just as "bad company corrupts good morals", so also does good reading affect (and enable) good writing. When I feel creatively dry, I love to pick up my old copy of The Lord of the Rings, or some other imaginative work, and immerse myself in the creativity of the author.
These paths to inspiration are available to most of us, and we needn't have a Walden-like nature exile to fuel our writing. Good writing, your writing, comes out of your daily life. Next time you need a little inspiration, go for a walk, call up an old friend, find a shady nook and read, or just scroll down your Pinterest page... you never know what magic may happen.
