“So, where do you get your ideas for your stories?”
“What kind of stories do you write? You just really like that kind, huh?”
“Are your characters based on real people?”
“Will you put me in your book?”
If you’ve ever had any discussion with people about your
writing, I’m guessing you’ve heard these questions and more like them. They’re natural questions, really. There is a natual curiousity about what the
writing process is and how it’s done. I
admit, I sometimes ask other writers these same sorts of questions,
myself. The answers provide a window of
a sort into the often private world of a writer. It’s fascinating to me to hear how it works
(or sometimes doesn’t – let’s be honest) for other people. Plus, since there is no one way to create, I
love the opportunity to get some new ideas.
Ah. There it is. Ideas.
Inspiration.
Inspiration is that magical quality that fires so much of
our lives, particularly our creative endeavors.
It’s the spark to kindling that starts everything going. It’s also completely impossible to describe. What is it, really? It’s not a thing. I can’t tell you what it looks like. I can’t measure how tall it is or how much
space it takes on a shelf. I can’t tell
you if it’s colorful or has sharp corners or is icy to the touch.
So, what is it?
Personally, I think it’s a quality within oneself. It would be nice if I could just say, “Oh, my
inspiration isn’t here today. It’s on a
long weekend in San Diego. I’ll write
when it gets back.” Granted, sometimes
that is exactly what it feels like. I
may talk of my absent muse or make silly bargains with myself to try to get
something started. In the spirit of
honestly, I’ll even admit, I’ve been known to blatantly bribe my invisible muse
with candy orange slices. At least, that’s
my explanation for those packages in the pantry. But in the end, I know that the ideas come
from my life, my experiences, my imagination, and my own hard work.
The ideas will come and go.
There are days when I am just so “on” I can hardly believe it. The words pour out of me and my excitement is
high. Other days are empty of any
writing at all (not good, I know, and I don’t like those days). The reasons vary, of course. Like anyone, I do have other responsibilities. Other aspects of life will intrude and that’s
just the way that is sometimes.
What is a writer to do, then? Humph.
As soon as I solve that one, I’ll let you know. First, I’ve got to broker world peace and
find the cure for the common cold.
In the end, I think it’s a question of what one is willing
to do to find the inspiration to create.
For some, it means writing something, anything, every day, no matter what. For others, it might mean stepping back from the
writing when the dry spell hits and turning the energy into some other pursuit
for awhile. Valid approaches, all
around. I believe it takes
experimentation to find what method or combination of methods works best. I wish us all luck in finding that priceless
quality within ourselves that gets us going and excites us and brings out what
we love about what we do.
~Sandy
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