by Jessica in Writing Tips

I posted my top ten favourite writing quotes the other day, and one of them was Peter De Vries**, when he said, “I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning.” I feel like that is such a crucial and often overlooked piece of advice, so I just wanted to bring up that quote again and talk about it for a moment.

So many people won’t write because they’re uninspired, don’t feel like it, or they claim to have writer’s block. But in my experience, half of the time it’s backwards for me! Rather than getting inspiration then writing, I write and then get inspired. If you’re writing a bunch of crap, then just keep going until something decent comes out. I think Jack London said it best with “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”

Everyone has some pretty daunting tasks in their days. Personally, I hate going to the gym… at first. I’ll be tired from working, have other things to do, and would rather just curl up with my laptop for an hour or two before going to bed. Since the motivation often isn’t there, I have to force myself to go. And once I get there? I forget about all of my excuses. Getting started was the tough part. As soon as I start my work-out, I can finish it with no problems and actually enjoy it.

So if you’re feeling uninspired, just write about anything. A childhood memory, what the people outside your window are doing, what you had for breakfast that morning… just keep writing until something worthwhile comes out. If you sit around waiting for inspiration to hit you, you might be waiting around for a while. Just write, and the rest will follow.

But if you’re still stuck on what to write in order to get your muse flowing, here are a few prompts for you:

“I’m only as real as you make me. No excuse will ever change that.” The chill down my spine from the raindrops was nothing compared to the chill I got when he finally put his arm around my waist. I opened her bedroom door, planning on peaking in to ensure her absence, but I saw much more than expected. I was treated to the sight of a man holding a gun.

**It’s been brought to my attention that William Faulkner may have been the one to actually say that (or say something very similar), however Google’s being unhelpful and providing equal proof for both of them, so I can’t be sure who actually said it. If anyone has any additional information on that, please leave a comment! Thanks to Kris, for letting me know!