Inspiration by Steph Beth Nickel

 

"Where do you get your inspiration?"

Pretty much every writer has been asked this question, and many of us are tempted to answer, "Everywhere."

Once I thought of a character's name, and the ideas for several stories that could feature this character developed over time. I hope to turn this into a series of short stories or middle grade books.

I've never found a place to use the following quote, but I'll never forget what one senior lady at our church said to my son when he walked past wearing oversized army boots. She said, "Hey, Boots, where are you taking that boy."

I had an idea for a speculative fiction novel that I wanted to begin during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) a few years back, but it wasn't until October 31 that I decided to make it a YA novel told in the present tense from the female protagonist's point of view. Rule and Reign is currently awaiting my attention. I like the story, but it needs significant reworking even though I haven't completed the first draft.

Inspiration truly can come from anywhere, but what can we do when it seems to evade us?

Here are nine tips to light the spark:

Get enough rest. It's hard to come up with ideas and recognize inspiration if we're overtired.

Go for a walk. This will get the endorphins flowing and will allow our subconscious to work on problems areas in our work in progress (WIP).

Freewrite. Just put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and write whatever comes to mind.

Skip to the end. More than once I've written the end of the story when I got stuck in the "messy middle."

Show up. Stephen King said something to the effect that the Muse will show up every morning at 9:00 if you sit down to write every morning at 9:00.

Schedule writing time. Even if we can't show up every morning at 9:00, it's important to schedule writing appointments that we make a priority, just as we would any other appointment.

Develop a writing routine. For example... Grab a coffee. Light a candle. Turn on some instrumental music. Open your laptop. And write. We can train our brain to write if we develop our own routine.

Ask, "What if?" When you're stuck, come up with several What If? scenarios and explore with pen and paper the answer to the question. You may just come up with the perfect direction for your WIP.

Call a friend. As a writer, you likely have several friends who write. Why not reach out to one of them and brainstorm ideas to get you past your slump.

Bonus Tip

As Christians, we can rest assured that the Lord cares about every area of our life, including our writing. Praying before each writing session is a good habit to get into, one I'm still working on.

How about you? What helps you get the inspiration flowing?

Writing Rites ~ Valerie Ronald

 There is nothing quite like the pomp and circumstance of England’s royal rituals. This past several days I spent more time than usual in front of the television watching the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, as well as related ceremonies and stories. The symmetry and precision of each element fascinated me. It was impressive to see regiments of identically uniformed guardsmen on matched horses parading solemnly down the Mall to Westminster Abbey as they escorted the Queen’s coffin. Performing these traditional rites must require much discipline and dedication.  

 Perhaps the rituals and ceremonies intrigue me because I am not nearly as disciplined or orderly in my writing endeavors. I cannot say I write daily, as there are other demands on my time, but I do try to write several times a week. I have been a writer for many years, yet can I say I have a “daily creative ritual?” To be honest, I’m not sure I want one. Perhaps the creative free spirit in me balks a bit at the constraints implied by a ritual. 

I think of myself as more of a cerebral writer because much of my writing preparation and even some of its process, occurs in my head before I type a word. This internal creative process does not require a set ritual or routine because it happens anywhere and at any time. Firstly, prayer prefaces all my writing. God is the giver of this gift, so His inspiration is essential for it to be of any value. Whether an assignment or an original project, He is the One who sparks the initial idea and fans it into flame. As I continue to pray, He brings illustrations and ideas to mind. While doing mundane activities like housework, waiting in a store lineup, or before falling asleep, I pull my latest project to the front of my mind and meditate on it. Sometimes I write down the results or jot down research requirements. A small notebook and pen nearby is essential. But mostly I carry around the gist of the thing in my head until I am ready to flesh it out in words.

I will concede there a few requirements when my project gets to this stage. The house must be in some semblance of order before I can sit at peace to write, so early afternoon is the best time of day, after chores are done. Other requirements are solitude, quiet, good lighting and access to writing tools like my computer, dictionaries and online helps. A cup of tea and sometimes an aromatic candle help set the right atmosphere. It usually takes me a while to get in the “zone”, so I make sure I have a good chunk of uninterrupted time to create. Regular breaks to move around, get some fresh air or a snack, help give fresh perspective when I return to work. When the words are no longer flowing well and my brain is getting a bit foggy, I know it is time to set the work aside until I am rested.

This sounds rather unremarkable but what can not be observed is the intense joy I feel when I am writing. There will never be anything ritual or routine about that. Even when I am stuck or the words aren’t flowing as I want them to, I feel more alive and fully who I am when in writing mode. As I imagine the guardsmen did who accompanied the Queen’s coffin to Westminster Abbey, I find deep satisfaction in fulfilling the purpose for which God intended me. This spurs me on to be the best writer I can be, for His glory.

 More of Valerie's work can be read on her blog:

https://wordpress.scriptordeus.com/

Consistently Inconsistent by Steph Beth Nickel

This month's prompt asks us to share our daily creative rituals.

As was the case when my kids were growing up, the only real thing I was consistent with was my inconsistency.

The same is essentially true of consistency when it comes to daily rituals of any kind.

However, I am learning the importance of creating a flexible schedule that I stick to ... more or less.

I start most days with a brief exercise routine. If I don't do it in the morning, it's not going to happen. This gets the endorphins flowing, gives me a sense of accomplishment, and helps me shake the sleepiness from my mind and body.

I'd like to say I then eat a nutritious breakfast, but, hey, we're taught from a young age that it's wrong to lie.

My aim is to read the Bible and pray before I get down to work, but that doesn't always happen. Ideally, I would commit each task to the Lord before I began (whether it be writing; editing; or home-tending, as one of my FB friends calls it). That hasn't become a habit as of yet, but it's still my aim.

I put the pro in PROcrastination. So, I aim to cross at least one thing of my Procrastination List before noon each day. It gives me the same satisfaction as crossing multiple things from my Daily To-Do List. 

Although I suffer from Oo, Shiny! Syndrome and the call of "just one more" YouTube video, I find sitting down at my computer and focusing on a single project until it's done allows me to "go deep," especially if I don't allow myself to move onto something else when I hit a roadblock in what I'm doing.

For physical and mental health reasons, it's important to schedule several breaks. But there's a vast difference between scheduled breaks and flitting from project to project like a wayward dragonfly.

Like most people, I have several different projects on the go at any one time. While I love doing those I find easiest and can be accomplished in a short amount of time first thing after I sit down at my computer, it's better to save them for a time when I don't need as much discipline or creativity to get them down. That's why I've recently placed them on my afternoon schedule. 

While I am an early bird, if I return to my computer in the evening after the rest of my household has gone to bed, I can accomplish a fair amount then as well. However, I try not to leave things in the Yes! column until the evening. I never know if I'm going to have the ambition to get anything done.

What is this Yes! column of which I speak?

By dividing my tasks into three columns, it helps me prioritize my endeavours. The Yes! column is things that are, essentially, non-negotiable. The Maybe column is those things that rank second in terms of my priorities. And the third column, Would Be Nice, is where I tuck those things that have to get done someday.

Do I always complete the items in the Yes! column before moving on? Absolutely not! But it does give me a starting place.

I make To-Do Lists on my phone, but I transfer them to paper. Out of sight, out of mind, as the saying goes. Plus, I love crossing things off the list. It gives me such a sense of satisfaction even if those things are in the Would Be Nice column.

I admire people who have rituals that keep them grounded and help them alert their brain that it's time to get the creative juices flowing. Sitting down at the computer at the same time every day. Lighting a candle. Hanging a Do Not Disturb sign on their door and shutting it. Turning off their email and social media notifications. And getting down to work for a set amount of time.

However, that is not me.

When it comes to my rituals, it can be summed up by two statements:

1. Prioritize my To-Do List.

2. As much as possible, focus on a single project until it is accomplished.

How about you? Are you of the Strict Schedule Crowd or the Take Things as They Come Group?

Waiting On Inspiration by Bob Jones

 

 

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on." Louis L’Amour

 

"You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page." Jodi Picoult

 

Years ago I was influenced by the observation that great writers don’t wait for inspiration to strike, they sit down and go to work every day whether they feel inspired or not.

 

My days begin with the Youversion Bible app, an open journal, and a fountain pen. Did you know that writing with a fountain pen is a sensual experience? I love the feel of black ink flowing onto a white page. My 11-year-old granddaughter discovered the joy of a fountain pen this summer. She watched me writing one morning at our lakeside cabin and asked if she could use my “special” pen. The light in her eyes as she saw the ink from the pen settle onto the page told me she was hooked for life. If you haven’t tried writing with a fountain pen, I encourage you to give it a go. My favourite is a red, Lamy pen with ink cartridges. You can order a Lamy on Amazon like I did for my granddaughter.

 

The bulk of my writing is dictated because I’m a two-fingered typist. My thoughts come faster than my ability to capture them using a keyboard. And this old dog can’t seem to master the trick of typing with ten fingers. So, I rely on getting my writing started in an efficient way by using my computer’s dictate function. When inspiration strikes and I’m away from my computer, I voice record an email and send it to myself.

 

Up until this month, dictating felt like cheating. Every writer I know writes or types. And then Sandi Somers made me feel better. In her September post Sandi revealed that she dictates into her cell phone as part of her writing ritual. Thank God for Sandi.

 

The way I write is like playing with a Rubic’s cube. I’ll compile a few paragraphs or sentences. Then I’m inspired by a thought and record a few more lines, followed by another two or three paragraphs based on additional ideas. I park what I’ve written and when I come back, sometimes days later, I usually have another three or four pieces to add. Then I arrange the paragraphs in various ways to see which order flows best. The process feels like twisting the rows of a Rubic’s cube to align all the colours. I twisted the order of the paragraphs in this post multiple times. For instance, the intro to this post was in the middle at one point in the process. Do the colours of this post line up for you?

 

Although I write a lot, I’m not a writer by occupation. I am employed in a fulltime role that often eats up 12-hour days. So, I squeeze in writing when I can and often when the time is best for others. Sometimes as writers we choose a time to write that is most convenient for everyone else in our lives. But that can be seen as a sacrifice of love. Are you married to a morning person so you write later at night so you can be with the one you love in the morning? Got kids? Do you write before they get up or after they go to bed? Are you required to do shift work, work weekends, or work more than one job, so you write in the cracks of work?

 

You may be tempted to feel your circumstances cast your writing in weakness, but weakness is God’s favourite place to show his strength. When you make sacrifices out of love, don’t be surprised how God makes your output flourish. 

 

Perspiration is underrated. Writing is its own inspiration. Doing the work of getting words down on a page is inspiring if for nothing else than you did it. I run four K every other day. Did I say that I don’t like running? I don’t look forward to running. I look forward to finishing. When I get home from a run my wife always asks me, “How was your run?” And I answer most every time, “I did it.” There is accomplishment and inspiration in just doing something you know you should do.

I’m happy I didn’t wait on inspiration for this post. How about you?

 

Bob writes to grow hope, inspire people to be real, forge an authentic faith in Jesus, and discover their life purpose.

You can follow his writing at REVwords.com

He would love to hear from you.