What inspires you to write? When do you find the inescapable invigoration to put pen to paper? Where are you when your greatest ideas are birthed? How is your writer’s sense quickened and stimulated? Who stirs the cogs of your brain illuminating the path that you simply must follow? Why do you do this writing thing that you do?
It’s a little crazy. It seems that a great majority of my inspirations come at inopportune moments…like while in the shower…or putting on my makeup…or driving in the car…or just as I drift off to sleep at night. I have learned to keep a pen and some sort of paper close at hand for these fine moments…well, except in the shower. In that case I just have to keep repeating the thought over and over until I can make my way to paper and jot it down. I try to keep “jotting journals” around for just such times, including one in my car. However, I also have lots of random pieces of paper, napkins, and sticky notes all over the place.
I really try to grasp those bursts of inspiration, and act on the impulse to release all that is bubbling up within. Sometimes with success. Sometimes not so much. Life doesn't always offer total flexibility to whim and inspiration. There are days when I look over my jottings…then to the cursor flashing before me…and pray…and look at the cursor…back to the scribbling…and pray some more. Some days the words gush like a fountain. Some days they trickle like the tiniest stream.
The important thing is to persist. Keep at it. Hear the voice and act.
So, are you feeling inspired? Are you seizing the opportunities before you? Are you seeking ways to enhance and increase those great moments that propel you to head to the computer and start pecking away?
One of the greatest ways to be successful in your writing is to surround yourself with people and information that challenges and encourages you to write. Do you have those people in your life? Are you in a writer’s group? Do you attend writer’s conferences? Do you read books that inspire you to write and to hone your craft?
We would love to get your fingers tap tap tapping right now! Let us know what inspires you! Please share any tidbits that might just encourage our readers to brave the cursor and create something magnificent!
We would also love to have you join us at our Write2Ignite! Conference 2012 – March 16-17, 2012, at North Greenville University near Greenville, SC. Details coming soon.
Your blog inspired me. ;-) I'm sooo proud of you, Kristi, and honored to call you my friend.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to getting inspiration for writing at random moments. It's funny how God brings different ideas to mind at different times and I can sometimes kinda mull them through in my mind and determine if it's worth making a note of to try to develop further or if I just kind of mentally discard it. But the good thing about the random inspiration is that when it hits, you can just start rolling and the writing just flows out. :-) Keep writing and righting. :-)
ReplyDeleteVery inspirational, Kristi! Loved it!
ReplyDeleteKristi,
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
I'm thankful that church pews often contain pencils. With a bulletin in hand, it's a handy combination. Sometimes a line spoken in a sermon inspires a devotion, a story, a picture book idea, etc. Hearing kids' dialogue inspires me too. Like you, I generate ideas while in the shower. I have read that exercise leads to more creativity too. Good reason to exercise!
I wish you much success, happiness, and peace.
Linda A.
This spring when I traveled to China I kept notes in a palm-sized Moleskine notebook. When I returned I read my notes into MS Word, then made corrections on the keyboard. The Chinese language and culture remained vivid for me through listening and experiencing, note-taking, speaking, and reviewing. All those repetions serve me well when I write.
ReplyDeleteReading notes into Word- what a great idea!!
ReplyDeleteFor me, other authors and good books inspire me. I know that the only one who can write my story is me. and that takes work, time & perseverance.