Writing Inspiration Is A Bottomless Well

How do you find inspiration?

I used to argue against the notion that writer’s block exists. Though I believe that this term is factually incorrect because you can always come up with something, your writing may end up lacking clarity and style, two elements essential to a good read.

Perhaps a more unambiguous explanation is to try to find the right words to build something you’ll be proud of–a masterpiece reflecting your knowledge, even passion for a particular subject. In that case I am right with you as I sometimes find myself needing inspiration.

When help is needed, I like to look at some of my favorites sources of writing inspiration a veritable bottomless well of resources to tap. Here are seven of my favorite methods:

1. Periodicals — Sure, much of what we read today can be found online, but there is something about newspaper print and the four-color look and feel of a print magazine that, well, inspires.  Apple’s iPad may work in short order to make hard copies a thing of the past, so I’ll enjoy flipping and folding my newspapers until then or dog earring a favorite magazine article for future reference. Besides, sand and electronic devices do not mix!

2. Weblogs — Blogs have come of age with some operating as the definitive source for a particular subject matter. Easily, for articles about writing I can turn to Copyblogger and Freelance Folder, but some of my most enlightened times have come by reading the writings of an obscure blogger. Naturally, I cite as necessary.

3. Traveling — My family and I just returned from Wilmington, NC where we toured the Battleship North Carolina memorial, stayed at a new hotel, ate out at a different type of restaurant and went to church services Easter Sunday morning. New places, different faces can go far in helping breath fresh life into any writing project.

4. Coffee Houses — One of my favorite places to visit is a local Panera Bread shop. I love the coffee, but I also regularly run into people I know. Those conversations with friends can stimulate me to begin writing as soon as I return home as does “over heard” coffee shop chatter when familiar faces are absent.

5. Outdoors — Call it nature or name it exercise, in any case those times you take strolling around the neighborhood, walking through a park, climbing a hill or running, jogging, biking your way full speed ahead can inspire. When the weather is good I find that breaking up my day by taking a walk after lunch gets my mind in gear.

6. Sensory Stimulus — Some people find inspiration in the arts, others in music while still others in food. A vibrant painting, rousing anthem or the smell of freshly bakes chocolate fudge brownies wafting through the ventilation system can kick start the senses. Or at least remind me that I’m hungry!

7. Dreaming — Have you ever had a vivid dream and just knew that it offered to you inspiration? I have. I’m not the type of person who keeps a pad by his bed, because if the dream is that meaningful, then I know I’ll remember what matters. I’m a daydreamer too and have found that pushing away from the computer and allowing my mind to wander can soon bring me to a restful place, one where my mind isn’t weary from overwork.

How about you? Are there methods you use to stoke the fires of inspiration? Please share!

Photo Credit: Leonardini

See Also — Should You Schedule Your Blog Posts?

Oh, This Will Take Some Time….

I mentioned last week that I would be back and, yes, I am here. But only for a few moments. I am up to my neck with deadlines this week and next, but I also have to tend to a few simmering fires involving one web site and one blog.

Work Aplenty

Don't cry; it will all work out.

The website issue has to wait because my efforts to move one blog from URL A to URL B is taking me days, not hours to complete. I have discovered that larger blogs with many posts, categories, photos, tags, and what not can be more difficult to move even if you manipulate the .htaccess or php.ini files to import a large WordPress xml file.

Yes, I turned off the plugins first but even then the shrunken file is still quirky. So what I did was to break 47 months of blogging into pieces, sending bits over here and there. Even then, I discovered that some of the coding contained in various posts was presenting a problem which served to remind me to “go light” on the scripting on the new site.

A few of you have wished me well in the transition with one remarking that this sort of move can “cause more problems than what it’s worth.”

I agree!

But sometimes there are good reasons to make a move including several that I am up against:

Old theme – WordPress offers thousands of free themes, but as you might guess many of these do not age particularly well over time unless the designer keeps up with them. Few do, but who can blame them?

I am considering buying my next bunch of themes and using them instead, especially if they are being supported. I do not mind paying for something that is being looked after; Open Source has its benefits but you cannot expect people to do everything for free.

Wacky plugins – Just like themes, plugins do not always make the transition from blog update to blog update. Even when a newer version is released, I have found that they do not always work as well as they once did.

I have had the occasional plugin mess up a blog, only being able to discover which one it was by deactivating all of them en masse and then activating them one by one.

Lousy URL – When I initially started blogging in 2004, I did not have nearly the understanding I have now regarding search engine optimization and related matters. The blog I am moving sits on a site it once shared with another blog. That other blog is the one you are reading now, itself moved here two years ago.

The other blog making the transition will have its own URL which has been around for some time and was pointing to the blog until I started to make the transition last week.

Such Madness!

Confused yet? Welcome to my delirium! At some point everything will work out. Once the blog has been moved, then I will refocus my attention on the website issue and then maybe, just maybe, I will replace a few blog themes elsewhere.