Regain Your Inspiration with These Five Tips
It’s a common misconception that writing a book is easy. Hemingway may have put it best when he said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Easy, it’s not. Writing takes time, practice and discipline. And even then, sometimes during the writing process an author struggles for inspiration.
Today, we want to help you find that lost inspiration so you can be productive and keep pushing toward your goal of becoming a published author. So here are a few tips and pieces of advice that we hope will inspire you to keep writing:
Read – Whether it’s a magazine, newspaper article or book, take the time to sit still and just read! Reading is a great way to observe other authors’ writing styles. This personal study may inspire you to take a page out of their book and emulate their techniques in the way that you write. But although imitation is viewed as the sincerest form of flattery, blatantly copying another’s work is not. Be inspired, but be true to yourself and your story.
Quotes – Sometimes, nothing beats an inspirational quote. Whether it’s a quote from a famous author, athlete or movie star, search the web for inspirational quotes to push you in the right direction. Here’s a quick example that we hope will inspire you today:
Dreams – If you are in a writing rut, remember why you wanted to begin writing in the first place. Was it to finally put your thoughts onto paper for all to read? Did you want to leave something behind for your kids and grandkids to show them that hard work does pay off? Did you always want to see your name on the spine of a published book? Whatever your reason is for starting this journey, reflect on it and realize that if you want it badly enough, the inspiration to write and chase that dream will follow.
Explore – Get outside and explore. Take the time to observe your surroundings. The world around you can be a great catalyst for inspiration when you pay attention to human interaction, the sights and sounds of nature, or even simply the wonder of a sunset. Whatever it is, step outside and breathe in the inspiration of the world that is right outside your doorstep.
New Space – Let’s say that every time that you begin to write, you perform the same routine. You walk into your office, sit down, open up your computer and try your best to put your thoughts down on paper. But this routine, day-in-and-day-out, can become rather stale. That’s why it’s a good idea to change things up and get out of your writing rut. Consider heading out to your local coffee shop, finding a comfortable spot with a cup of coffee or tea, and begin writing. Sometimes a new environment and some quality people-watching time will ignite your creative juices and inspire you to be productive.
But perhaps the simplest piece of advice that we can offer you is to enjoy the process. If writing ever becomes a burden, step back and take a look at these tips to refocus your mind. After all, the road to your end goal of becoming a published author will have its twists and turns. Despite the fact that there might be factors that lead you astray, these are almost always detours filled with inspiration and motivation that will lead you right back on track. All that you have to do is just keep moving forward!
Copyright Dorrance Publishing, 2014
