L.S. Engler

How Inspiring!

L.S. Engler

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2–3 minutes

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The questions seem simple at first, though their answers are usually obnoxiously complicated and difficult to explain. What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from? How do you think of new things to write? They’re also questions I’ve been asking myself an awful lot lately, especially on days like this when I’m having trouble thinking of a topic for even a blog post and I don’t have the time to whip up a good, juicy character profile or something like that.

So, naturally, I fall back on the question of what inspires us to come up with topics and themes and plots in the first place, and open it up to a discussion. When you’re in need of a topic or a plot, where do you turn? Do you listen to music? Read through other books? Grab any friend with even half an ear open and drag them out for a cup of coffee to dish over some ideas? Lately, I’ve been wanting more of that last one, but, alas, don’t have the time. Thankfully, this Monday is a day when both the roommate and I are off of work. There’s a voyage to Ikea in the books, and so who knows where that will go.

But I’m still having trouble thinking of topics for blog posts when it’s not a RoW Check-in, book review, or Flash Fiction prompt. I usually don’t have the time on the days when I don’t have something else going on to do much of a character or world-building post, since I usually have to hurry my butt into work. What sort of topics do you like reading about, or would like to see more of? I debated doing a specific theme for each day, but I like the wiggle room I have right now that allows for various book reviews per week, if I have several lined up (and I plan to read more books than there are weeks in a year, so one-per-week wouldn’t work).

It’s one of those things that sometimes gives me pause and makes me wonder if I have the imagination to really be a writer. Shouldn’t it be easier to think of things to write of? But we all have these moments, these dry spells, and once the rains start coming, the valleys will be awash with too many ideas to handle. So you just have to stick it out and wait for the storm.

10 responses to “How Inspiring!”

  1. Fiercely Yours Avatar
    Fiercely Yours

    I like to leave my phone at home and go for walks, which always stimulates the imagination when we choose to be silent and observe.

    Reply
    1. L.S. Engler Avatar
      L.S. Engler

      See, and this is why winter needs to be finished. I love taking walks, but not in the blustery weather we’ve been having lately! Summer tends to be full of much more inspiring ventures.

      Reply
  2. Lois Hoffman Avatar
    Lois Hoffman

    We all struggle with inspiration from time to time. Getting out of the house is key. I go to parks, boutiques, coffee shops, libraries, and I’m a substitute in a day care just to see what these crazy little kids think up! If you can’t get out, I just blogged about using Pinterest for inspiration, too.

    Reply
    1. L.S. Engler Avatar
      L.S. Engler

      I haven’t been spending nearly as much time at the local bookstore as I used to; perhaps that needs to change? And I’ve been so tempted by Pinterest, but I just feel it’s going to be one of those things that winds up sucking up so much more precious time than I have to spare!

      Reply
  3. D.J. Lutz Avatar
    D.J. Lutz

    I keep a small notebook with questions or topics that might someday become either a blog post, a short story, or perhaps even a novel. When my literary boat gets grounded on the “I can’t think of anything to write” sandbar, I just pick out something from the book. Usually that one sentence prompt will lead me to write about something, even if it is not what the original statement offered. Then again, people=watching at the beach, the mall, or the hockey game, followed by a glass of red wine helps.

    Reply
    1. L.S. Engler Avatar
      L.S. Engler

      I have….a whole drawer filled with notebooks that are filled with “prompts.” I still try to tackle one at a time, though, and sometimes that one stales and I feel bad if I move onto a different one without completing the other. They can be useful for starts of short stories, but I seem to be hard-pressed to really round them out into something more complete, more often than not.

      I should try to figure out how to turn some of them into blog topics when I’m really hard pressed, though…

      And red wine! I used to get so many good ideas going wine tasting. Clearly, I need to go wine tasting again…

      Reply
  4. Heather_Ponzer Avatar
    Heather_Ponzer

    I have such a problem with blog posts also. I have intentionally never put blogging in my goals- because it is TOUGH. But I do get ideas at random- I just never follow through. Like I had an idea to make Friday “Time Capsule Friday” or make one day a week from the perspective of my two year-old. I’m all over the place.

    I don’t know how other moms manage to work on any significant work of writing AND keep up a blog.

    The ways I get inspired are from people-watching, reading, daydreaming and long walks.

    Reply
    1. L.S. Engler Avatar
      L.S. Engler

      I guess I’m lucky that the only “kids” I have are four-legged, furry, and feline. It does get difficult posting every day, but I’ve dedicated to only missing one day a month, and I kind of blew this month’s pretty easy. Still, I figure if I don’t push myself, then I won’t accomplish things I never thought I could before.

      Reply
  5. Carl D'Agostino Avatar
    Carl D’Agostino

    Reading so much would seem to keep you encapsulated in the ideas and thoughts of the book esp a good one, so where would your mind have the moments to bear its own fruit?

    Reply
    1. L.S. Engler Avatar
      L.S. Engler

      Are you suggesting that I read too much, Carl? NoooooooooooO!

      (Although it’s probably true, I still don’t care. I love reading way, way too much, too!)

      Reply

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