Writing Workshop: Inspiration

If you're running low on story ideas, plot bunnies, or just need a muse altogether, then it's time to get inspired.

Here are the things I do to get inspired:

1) Listen to music.  Just sit and really listen to the words of your favorite songs, or go on YouTube and listen to songs that are the genre of music you like but perhaps not necessarily the normal bands you listen to.  Pandora.com is a great way to do this because it helps you discover new music you didn't know you liked!  Jot down lyrics or feelings or images that come to mind when you are listening to music.  Don't be afraid to listen to music turned down low while you're writing too.  Sometimes just the melody is inspiring.

2) If you're in the middle of writing a fan-fic and get stuck, don't be afraid to ask readers for help.  Ask them what they think, what they want to see happening in the story, or any ideas they have.  Even if they don't give you ideas you are going to use, they might get you thinking along a different track and get you out of your writer's block.

3) Find a friend or a good Beta on or offline that you can really sit down and talk the story over with.  Explain what you want from the story and get their feedback.  Sometimes just talking about the story helps you think it through a little better.

4) Write out a general summary of each chapter, even the ones you haven't written yet.  This helps keep the story moving because if you get stuck at least you know the general direction you're going in.

5) Use challenges on sites like Potions and Snitches to get inspired.  Sometimes readers have a story all thought up for you that they want to read, or other writers have a story they want to see but don't have the time to write themselves.  You can take these challenges and run with it, changing it how you see fit.

6) Get inspired by real life.  Watch TV shows and movies to get ideas, and watch what's going on around you.  You don't have to write your life story or the story of someone you know, but watch people's reactions to life events and see how they deal with them.  Apply real life to your stories to make them realistic.

7) Look at pictures occasionally of the characters you are going to be writing about.  Believe it or not this can inspire you just by seeing a look or feeling one portrays in a picture.

8) Ask yourself questions.  What have you wondered about certain moments in the movies or books that were never covered fully?  Can you write about that?  What would happen if you threw two unlikely characters together in a humorous or serious situation?  What would they do?  These are all plot bunnies waiting to happen.

9) Don't be afraid to throw out what you have already.  If you're part way through a chapter or story and things just aren't working out, toss it out and start again.  It's ok, really.  Sometimes it comes out  better.

10) Take a break.  Sometimes I hit a bad patch of writers block or apathy for a story I'm working on and need a break from it.  I work on other stories, read other fan-fics, or do nothing at all during these breaks.  A break might be a couple of days, or a few months or more.  Usually, when I come back to my story, something new has happened to inspire new writing.  When you've had a long break from a story, read what you have from the beginning of chapter one up to where you left off, and start working again.  Yes, a break from your stories can work wonders.

That's all the inspiration tips you'll be getting for now!  I hope this page has helped!