Writing Inspiration Doesn't Last Forever!

As a writer, what does it take to inspire you? Where do you go to find that urge to keep writing? Who do you talk to in order to rekindle that passion you once had for writing? And then, what do you do to keep it alive?

The photo above would be an inspiration to many who love nature's joy and beauty. Taking a walk in the park or a forested area on a crisp fall day could make many a writer want to sit down and write as soon as they returned home. 

Going to a writing conference is one of the best ways to ignite that spark--the one that makes you want to drop everything else and write. I have come home from every conference I've ever attended with a boatload of ideas and the passion to attack them, one by one. 

Meeting a group of writers for coffee, lunch, or drinks is another way to find the inspiration we need to start a new project or continue with an unfinished piece or revise something that has never been accepted by an editor. Writers talking to other writers make the creative juices flow.

Going to a family reunion is a good way to want to get those family stories written.

Any of the things I've listed above will inspire you. The question I have for you is How long does the rekindled passion to write last? That terrific feeling of wanting to write every minute of the day does wear off. We don't realize it until the doldrums hit and you begin to lose interest in whatever you're working on. It may become drudgery instead of pleasure. Your muse whispers in your ear...Honey, you need some inspiration! Do you tell her to shut up or do you stop and listen?

If you're a wise writer, you'll do the latter. You'll pay attention to her words, the ones that keep swirling in your head. You'll do again whatever it is that inspires you to write again with interest and verve. Or maybe you should try something new.

Attend a concert. My husband and I enjoy classical music played by symphony orchestras. I find myself also thinking about new writing projects as I listen. The music never fails to bring me an idea or two. Once, an entire story played through my mind as the music swelled and ebbed. It was all I could do not to leave and head for home to write it before I forgot the important parts. That story sold the first time I submitted it. 

Any kind of entertainment you enjoy--plays, art exhibits, concerts, a dance--these can all be places where ideas for writers dip and sway and slip into your mind. Even attending a sporting event can do the same. 

The point is to get away from your everyday routine. Get out into the world and try something you enjoy. A long hike gives your mind free space for the ideas to pile up while your body is doing the physical work.  

Don't expect inspiration to last forever. We have to renew it in any way we can.