When I’m at writing conventions or pitch events, I’m often asked if I write. I do, but not for publication. I write for myself, and occasionally to entertain friends. What I enjoy most, though, is helping other writers hone their craft and reach their publishing goals—hence the whole agent and developmental editing gig.
However, it wasn’t always like this—I used to think I had to publish to be a “real writer”. I saw inspiration as something that would deliver a fully-formed masterpiece, rather than simply the joy of writing. Joy seems to be missing from a lot of writers’ lives as they stress over the completion of their book or the long slog of the query process.
So this week I want to share some of my past experiences and a few fun exercises. Maybe it will help you to stop stressing over the book or newsletter you’re currently trying to squeeze out of your overworked brain.
This is also a good way to get past writer’s block. Use it to pass the query response time by writing an article for a magazine or enter a story contest. Who knows, it could shake something productive loose, and unleash that next big book idea. Or you could just have some fun.
The Pressure to Write “Something Important”
For the longest time, I stressed about what to write. I’d sit at my computer or open my notebook, ready to jot down amazing tidbits of genius, only to blank. Every thought I’d had up until then just evaporated; like my brain was purposely trying to thwart me.
I’ve read all the suggestions: empty your mind and meditate, sit quietly and listen to your thoughts, or how the best ideas come while showering. I’ve read about techniques famous creatives used: Salvador Dali, napped in a chair holding a key over a metal tray. As he fell into that fleeting creative window of slumber, the key would drop, waking him, and he’d capture whatever surreal image popped into his mind.
So, I sat quietly listening to my thoughts – but what I heard was pretty uninspiring and a little sad—bits of an old Oingo Boingo song, a commercial jingle, and random fragments of past conversations. It was just static. Yet, I kept sifting through this random noise looking for something “worthy” enough to create with.
The Evidence Against My Own Belief on Inspiration
By waiting for inspiration to strike – that perfect, meaningful idea – we create a pressure system where ordinary thoughts aren’t given the chance to develop.
A friend once challenged me to write about lancing a boil. Once again, I was on the subway and I wrote it in 15 minutes on my phone. As I was doing it, I realized it was a great opportunity to write about something in a completely different and unexpected way. If you read the piece – you’d think it was about an obsessed, jilted lover.
Embrace the Ordinary
Instead of waiting for the perfect inspiration, why not embrace ordinary thoughts – even the seemingly meaningless ones. Just the very act of writing something, even if it’s silly, can have a positive affect and spark new ideas you hadn’t anticipated. Creativity doesn’t need grand ideas to thrive—it needs engagement, a willingness to play, and the freedom to explore without judgment.
So, let yourself write the small things, the mundane things, the “not good enough” things. In doing so, you may find that inspiration isn’t something that strikes like lightning; it’s something that grows gradually, hidden in the ordinary, waiting for you to bring it to life.
Your Turn. Let’s have some fun
Try these exercises:
- Set a timer for 3 minutes. Write down every random thought or snippet that crosses your mind, no matter how mundane. Don’t judge them. Then pick the most boring one and write a story hook for three different genres – or three different stories in the same genre.
- In the vein of Lancing a Boil – below are writing prompts. You can do these or think of your own. See if you can come up with a story in 15 minutes.
- Write about making PB&J from the jelly’s perspective” How does the jelly feel about being the last to hit the bread? Is it proud? Apprehensive?
- Write about a washing machine’s secret life after midnight” Confessions of lost socks, faded receipts, and the rivalry with the dryer.
- Write about the last spam email you received as if it’s the opening of a thriller novel” What if the email isn’t a scam but a coded message intended for someone specific?
As writers, we don’t need grand inspiration to create something valuable. Sometimes the smallest, quirkiest ideas lead to the most unexpected breakthroughs.
Writing is the practice of putting something on the page. From there, inspiration will often find you.