Waiting for Inspiration to Strike, a Writer's Dilemma
by Ellen Buikema
Have you ever put off starting a project because you didn’t feel inspired and were waiting for inspiration to hit? If you plan to make a living from your art, waiting for your muse is probably not a good strategy.
Many successful artists have discovered that waiting for inspiration can be a waste of time. They don’t depend upon how inspired they feel to create. Sometimes, they produce work to feel more inspired.
Painter Henri Matisse - “Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while one is working.”
Writer Susan Sontag - “Do stuff. Be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration’s shove or society’s kiss on your forehead.”
Painter Pablo Picasso - “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.”
Inspiration typically strikes when you least expect it—often while in the middle of working on something else.
Try using a schedule.
Schedules may sound like they’d restrict your creativity, but they can help it along. Some of the greats have stuck to schedules to help create fantastic work.
Maya Angelou rented a local hotel room, just for writing. She never slept there. Arriving early at 6:30 AM, she wrote until 2 PM and then went back home to edit, returning the following day to write more.
Prolific writer Haruki Murakami wakes up at 4 AM, writes for five hours, and then heads out for a run.
Schedules are good, but they don’t work for everyone. Inspiration cannot be forced. It would be lovely if divine inspiration would occur each afternoon at two sharp—blam, but so far that hasn’t happened. The muse likes to slip in seeds of ideas while you’re busy making other plans, or when the brain is “idle.”
Inspiration springs internally from:
Life experience
Personal values
Self-reflection
Externally from:
Other people
Animals in the wild as well as pets
Current events
Nature
Books, articles, movies, podcasts, blogs
Inspiration is all around us. Kris Maze has written a great blog on this topic.
How many ideas have flashed in your mind this week? A random thought while making breakfast, conversations overheard, a random meme that popped up via social media? Instead of letting these ideas slip by, grab them, and make them into something you can use. Keep a notepad of some sort nearby to get the ideas down before they fade away.
Do you think of yourself as a creative person?
If asked about your creative routine your answer might be:
“My best ideas arrive when I’m having a nice soak in the tub.”
“Ideas come out of nowhere! It just happens.”
“Some of my best ideas come to me in dreams.”
Is that all there is to it?
Problems with waiting for inspiration to strike.
Are you really procrastinating?
If waiting for inspiration is in truth procrastinating in disguise that’s a different issue entirely.
This may be fear.
What if I’m not good enough?
I don’t want to feel rejected.
Problems may come in the forms of limiting beliefs, self-esteem issues, ridiculously high standards you’ve imposed on yourself . . .
If you spend a lot of time waiting for an inspired spark, there may be deeper issues.
Self-sabotaging success.
If writing is a hobby, that’s great.
But what if you want writing to be your career? You have goals to achieve. There’s little time to waste while waiting for inspiration to strike.
If you’re not writing you can’t improve.
Practice doesn’t necessarily lead to perfection. However, inspired or not, if you don’t practice your art, you deny yourself the opportunity to improve.
When you practice regularly, you can look back and see how far you’ve come. Every writer I’ve encountered has commented about their early work and how much better a job they’d do on it at their current level. Every one of them.
Creative work requires practice. Make time for it. Try training your creativity like you train muscles.
What to do while waiting for inspiration.
Identify blockers.
Consider the following questions:
Does your work need to be perfect?
Are you afraid to fail? Afraid of success?
Do you feel capable of doing what you’re trying to do?
Are you tying your self-worth to your project?
Identifying what’s blocking you will free your creativity.
Set goals.
Not having a clear plan of action may result in procrastination. Get ahead of this by setting specific goals for how you’ll get there—the final outcome, not just what you’re going to create.
Set goals related to your process, like, “I’ll work on my story for at least an hour every day for a month,” or, “I’ll write two chapters every week for a month.” Not everything you write will be usable, but you’ll have a good start to your story.
Create more than you’ll need.
Keep in mind that not everything you write will be best-selling work. Some will not be stellar. No worries. Store those tales away for the future. You may find that you’ve created uncut diamonds that need to be faceted and polished into beautiful story gems.
Develop a working habit.
Having a routine can help the creative process. There is no one right way to develop a routine as it is a very personal thing.
Decide what works best for you. Some people prefer to work at their favorite pub. Others prefer a quiet room. You might find that writing at certain times of the day or night work best. Pay attention to what makes you feel most creative and use it. Maybe you work best with dimmed lights and light jazz playing in the background.
Try taking a walk, recording your thoughts on a cellphone app.
The key is to know when and where you’re most creative, then turning these triggers into a routine.
Stick to it. Experiment.
Life gets in the way, as it will always do, and mess up your routine. You may not feel like writing because there are so many other distractions that are more appealing. Look! There’s another squirrel!
Your creative time is sacred. Stick to it. Put a sign on the door, or on the back of your chair that says, “Writing time” or “Muse on board.”
If nothing is coming, experiment. Try spontaneous free association writing and see what you come up with.
David Bowie used to cut up magazines, rearrange words and phrases to create different meanings, and use them in his song writing now and then.
If you’re stuck do something related, like:
Reading a story in your genre
Drawing one of your characters
Have an imaginary conversation with your characters
Stay in a creative mindset. You may be inspired to write!
Give yourself some down time.
Don’t expected yourself to create all the time. You need time to energize.
Spend time with a friend
Relax with a good book
Play or listen to some music
Watch a movie
Eat
Drink
Be merry
Balance in all things is important for creativity.
How do you stick to a creative routine? Do you wait for inspiration to strike?
* * * * * *
About Ellen
Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents, and The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon chapter book series with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works in Progress are The Hobo Code, YA historical fiction and The Crystal Key, MG Magical Realism/ Sci-Fi, a glaze of time travel.
21 comments on “Waiting for Inspiration to Strike, a Writer's Dilemma”
Jane Yolen says "Butt in chair" is the key. I'm at my desk every weekday. I have set hours because this is my day job. Sometimes I'm doing freelance assignments; sometimes I'm working on my own projects. I read email and respond first. This gets me typing and looking at words. Then I get to work. I break for lunch and a brief snack (unless there is a tight deadline). I trust my muse to be there when I need her. If not, I stop and play a short game on my phone or stare at my bookcase. The idea comes. But that's now. It took brain training. Inspiration is a mental habit. And the results can always be edited.
You have this down! That's awesome. Having a schedule really helps, as does trusting your muse. I think some of the issues we bump against have to do with keeping relaxed. Panic always shuts off my creativity flow, which is no fun.
Jerry Seinfeld's Red X calendar trick is what turned me around big time. The goal: For every day I wrote, I got to put a big red X on the calendar that day. Didn't matter if it was 3 hours or only 3 minutes. Writing is writing. And, it didn't have to be new words. It could be research, editing, or any other writing-related task.
The big goal is to not break the chain. It took me a couple of years to achieve a month of solid red Xs. Now, writing every day is a solid habit.
Thank you for sharing Jerry Seinfeld's Red X calendar trick. A visual to show your accomplishment is a big deal. Great idea! I imagine email can work here too.
Congratulation on not breaking that chain. Amazing!
My best ideas come from dreams or when I am out for a walk.I can also work through plot problems while I walk too. Sometimes when I am at work I have to start the process a few times while I am performing a task, then think it through while on a work break or lunch.
I show up at my desk every day. Somedays I write for hours (with stretch breaks every 60-90 minutes). Other days I write for a few minutes. If I'm stuck, I write with a couple of instrumental soundtracks that I use specifically for writing that particular WIP, or I research settings or historical things that might provide more insight into my world. Sometimes, I switch it up and play the piano or I play word games. Those tricks usually work. One thing I learned from someone else long ago, at the end of every writing session I review or write a few words about what comes next. That keeps the idea of progress in my head and usually keeps me writing.
I wish I could listen to music while writing but that doesn't work for me. Oddly enough, I do very well listening to music while painting. Joni Mitchell works well for me.
I really like your suggestion to write a few words after reviewing the day's work to point the way forward!
Great article, Ellen! When I was a very young writer, I used to carry a tiny notebook where I'd jot down ideas whenever I had them. I've thought several times recently that I may need to go back to that. For me, ideas tend to come while driving. I've managed to set up a process where I can make voice notes of them. That has been helpful.
What do you use to do the voice notes on the fly, Lisa? That would be hugely helpful to me!
Also, you and your notebook are what is recommended by Barbara DeMarco Barrett (Pen on Fire). The first time I tried her methods, I got an extra 12 hours a week of writing in. Once I had a child, that cut in half. But it was still an extra 6 hours of writing time in my week!
It involves using a trained AI as a voice recorder. There's a setting on ChatGPT where you can talk to it and it talks back. I ask it to just let me ramble and to take notes on what I say. Especially when I'm driving, this is huge. Then when I eventually wind down, it will talk to me about the story I've told it or discuss what my ideas are for the article or concept. I'll give it a framework, and then when I get home, I can pull up that chat and it'll have a pretty decent draft for me to edit or concept outline for me to expand on. It's not the end of the process, but has become fairly common for the very early stages of an idea, because they always seem to come while driving. Interesting thing about the way it plays with my car... my car thinks I'm making a phone call. So in my brain, I'm just calling my "assistant" to take notes. Reminds me of the way I used to work for the executives I helped out many years ago.
This post reminds me of a horse story I read when I was a girl. In the book, the girl protagonist wants to train her pinto horse to do sophisticated equestrian work. She has already trained it to do circus-type tricks. The level of discipline required for the show ring means all work and no play for both. This regimen frustrates the horse, and in the middle of the performance, it breaks the routine and starts playing the circus horse - highly embarrassing. The girl's father advises her to restore some of the "fun" stuff that she used to do with the horse, to satisfy its need for play. As a result, the girl gets what she wants and the horse gets what it wants.
The idea is not to focus too tightly to what you want, but to give your goal room to breathe, allow it to play.
I really love that you incorporated rest and kindness to self in here. I agree that the more I'm doing creative things, the more creative ideas come to me. That's just the way things work.
Inspiration doesn't come in a lightning strike, it comes in tiny whispers while you're busy doing something else.
Jane Yolen says "Butt in chair" is the key. I'm at my desk every weekday. I have set hours because this is my day job. Sometimes I'm doing freelance assignments; sometimes I'm working on my own projects. I read email and respond first. This gets me typing and looking at words. Then I get to work. I break for lunch and a brief snack (unless there is a tight deadline). I trust my muse to be there when I need her. If not, I stop and play a short game on my phone or stare at my bookcase. The idea comes. But that's now. It took brain training. Inspiration is a mental habit. And the results can always be edited.
Hi Debbie,
You have this down! That's awesome. Having a schedule really helps, as does trusting your muse. I think some of the issues we bump against have to do with keeping relaxed. Panic always shuts off my creativity flow, which is no fun.
Excellent points! I hope your blog gives lots of writers a much-needed boost.
I created a DUH Plan for my Defeat Self-Defeating Behaviors course.
DUH Plan
1. Do it now, or as soon as possible.
2. Understand it may be difficult and do it anyway.
3. Hurray! Good for you, you did it. Time to celebrate!
Everyone could use another duh in their days.
Hi Margie,
What a fantastic title for your course! The DUH Plan makes lots of sense to me.
Procrastination seems to work for some, but That makes me antsy. I'd rather get going with projects.
I'm glad you feel the post is useful!
Better a "duh" than a "doh!" Ha ha!
Ha! Absolutely, Sally!
Your DUH plan is magic, Margie. It sounds way better than my husband's version: "The worst is first."
I'm a writer. With ADD! Why would I want to torture myself with "the worst." It's much more fun to do it the irreverent Margie way. 🙂
Jerry Seinfeld's Red X calendar trick is what turned me around big time. The goal: For every day I wrote, I got to put a big red X on the calendar that day. Didn't matter if it was 3 hours or only 3 minutes. Writing is writing. And, it didn't have to be new words. It could be research, editing, or any other writing-related task.
The big goal is to not break the chain. It took me a couple of years to achieve a month of solid red Xs. Now, writing every day is a solid habit.
Hi Diana,
Thank you for sharing Jerry Seinfeld's Red X calendar trick. A visual to show your accomplishment is a big deal. Great idea! I imagine email can work here too.
Congratulation on not breaking that chain. Amazing!
My best ideas come from dreams or when I am out for a walk.I can also work through plot problems while I walk too. Sometimes when I am at work I have to start the process a few times while I am performing a task, then think it through while on a work break or lunch.
Hi Alexsandra,
Thank you for sharing your creative process! I believe that the subconscious mind does a lot of behind the scenes heavy lifting.
I show up at my desk every day. Somedays I write for hours (with stretch breaks every 60-90 minutes). Other days I write for a few minutes. If I'm stuck, I write with a couple of instrumental soundtracks that I use specifically for writing that particular WIP, or I research settings or historical things that might provide more insight into my world. Sometimes, I switch it up and play the piano or I play word games. Those tricks usually work. One thing I learned from someone else long ago, at the end of every writing session I review or write a few words about what comes next. That keeps the idea of progress in my head and usually keeps me writing.
I love the idea of using the book soundtrack to breat through the blocks. That's brilliant, Lynette!
Hi Lynette,
I wish I could listen to music while writing but that doesn't work for me. Oddly enough, I do very well listening to music while painting. Joni Mitchell works well for me.
I really like your suggestion to write a few words after reviewing the day's work to point the way forward!
Great article, Ellen! When I was a very young writer, I used to carry a tiny notebook where I'd jot down ideas whenever I had them. I've thought several times recently that I may need to go back to that. For me, ideas tend to come while driving. I've managed to set up a process where I can make voice notes of them. That has been helpful.
What do you use to do the voice notes on the fly, Lisa? That would be hugely helpful to me!
Also, you and your notebook are what is recommended by Barbara DeMarco Barrett (Pen on Fire). The first time I tried her methods, I got an extra 12 hours a week of writing in. Once I had a child, that cut in half. But it was still an extra 6 hours of writing time in my week!
Thanks Lisa!
I'd love to know your process for voice notes
Great idea!
It involves using a trained AI as a voice recorder. There's a setting on ChatGPT where you can talk to it and it talks back. I ask it to just let me ramble and to take notes on what I say. Especially when I'm driving, this is huge. Then when I eventually wind down, it will talk to me about the story I've told it or discuss what my ideas are for the article or concept. I'll give it a framework, and then when I get home, I can pull up that chat and it'll have a pretty decent draft for me to edit or concept outline for me to expand on. It's not the end of the process, but has become fairly common for the very early stages of an idea, because they always seem to come while driving. Interesting thing about the way it plays with my car... my car thinks I'm making a phone call. So in my brain, I'm just calling my "assistant" to take notes. Reminds me of the way I used to work for the executives I helped out many years ago.
This post reminds me of a horse story I read when I was a girl. In the book, the girl protagonist wants to train her pinto horse to do sophisticated equestrian work. She has already trained it to do circus-type tricks. The level of discipline required for the show ring means all work and no play for both. This regimen frustrates the horse, and in the middle of the performance, it breaks the routine and starts playing the circus horse - highly embarrassing. The girl's father advises her to restore some of the "fun" stuff that she used to do with the horse, to satisfy its need for play. As a result, the girl gets what she wants and the horse gets what it wants.
The idea is not to focus too tightly to what you want, but to give your goal room to breathe, allow it to play.
I really love that you incorporated rest and kindness to self in here. I agree that the more I'm doing creative things, the more creative ideas come to me. That's just the way things work.
Inspiration doesn't come in a lightning strike, it comes in tiny whispers while you're busy doing something else.
great tips