Artists use a particular phrase frequently: I have no inspiration to do it.

As an aspiring writer, I use this sentence way too often. The fact is I don’t need to.

Seeking inspiration is just another way of pushing off something you once whole-heartedly enjoyed. You still do enjoy it but lesser and you consider it work rather than a passion.

It’s a process.

One day, you get up and decide that you are going to write (partial towards this, sorry) everyday. That you are going to spend some time on it each day so that you will improve and also because it will calm you down. You follow the routine for the first week because you are actually excited as to how this will pan out and you are enjoying it so bloody much! But, the next week some work comes up and you skip a day or two and convince yourself that it was unavoidable and hence, it’s okay.

Subsequent week, it becomes lesser, maybe 4 days now. You are still okay because at least you are writing for 4 days. The pattern continues for a couple of weeks and then it reduces again.

Now, you are up to twice a week or probably once. You make excuses and promise yourself that you will, that you absolutely will do it from tomorrow but as they say, tomorrow never comes.

You look at the pieces you have prepared and feel proud that you, YOU have made them. Again, you decide that tomorrow is the day. You are determined. That determination lasts for a day and you are back in your covers before you know it.

Once a week becomes once in ten days, two weeks, so on and so forth.

Then one fine day, your friend asks you that why aren’t you writing and to that you repeat the infamous dialogue every artist uses:

“I don’t have inspiration to do it.”

Let me make this clear, inspiration will not come to you. It is not fucking external. You have to create your so-called “inspiration.”

It will not come knocking at your door and tell you to write/sing/paint/dance/make music/etcetera about it. You and only you will have to look for it and usually you will find it within yourself.

You need to remember how it was earlier. How you used to look at a particular object or mould a situation into your piece and somehow take its elements and produce something beautiful.

Honestly, I am sitting in front of a wall which has a tree printed on it and if I want, I could write something wonderful and metaphorical about it. Thing is I won’t because of the goddamn “no inspiration” part.

It really is within you. You cannot wait for inspiration to go forth. Who knows when that’ll happen. Might not happen ever. You cannot sit idle for the rest of your life in anticipation and the truth is it won’t happen unless you want it to.

You have to kick that “I’m waiting for something to happen so that I can collaborate it in in my piece” and start working.

At the end of the day, you will feel productive and for a little while, content. Realise this right now because you will regret it later on and blame it on time when it’s on you and no one else.

Create the inspiration. See the first thing in front of you, or the first thing that comes into your mind and do something about it instead of pushing it off to tomorrow or leaving it as a thought at 3:00am.

It might not be your best but it will open your mind to new ideas. Taking the first step is all you have to do.

My scenario is somewhat similar. Today, I am writing after 12 days, probably the longest I have gone without writing in few months and I felt horrible about it. I sat down today and decided that I will not get up till I finish a piece, come what may.

I am doing that and it feels good. You will too.

The first step is all that you have to take. Rest will follow.

First step being creating inspiration within yourself.