Inspiration

Ah, Inspiration. Sometimes called the Muse.

Inspiration is where we authors get our ideas from. It's a weekly e-zine that's sent straight to our inboxes and it contains all the idea's we will ever need.

Seriously, though.

Inspiration is Over-rated

If we sat and waited for inspiration to strike us, very few people would ever write a word. 

Yes, sometimes we have sudden bursts of genius, but that doesn't happen enough to rely on it for everyday writing.

So we can't just sit around and wait for inspiration or our muse or the cosmos to hit us over the head with a great story. So, if you can't get on the Inspiration's e-mail list, you have to chase it down and beat it with a stick. How do you do this?

Observe

Watch the world around you. There are billions of people out there doing any number of things, and they are endless fodder for your novels. 

Watch the news. Watch the weather. Eavesdrop on stranger's conversations. Go people-watching at the nearest mall or walmart. 

Ask Questions

Don't just observe. Ask questions. Why did that woman do what she did? What would be the outcome? How could it possibly get worse? Question everything. Ask why? How? Who will it effect? Ask the obvious. Ask difficult questions. The answers may surprise you.

Keep a Journal

Or a notebook. Or anything. Just write down the observations you think are interesting. Write down the questions/answers that you think are good. Write them all down. Cut out clips from newspapers you think are interesting. Press leaves, color, scribble, draw, free write. This is the bucket for catching ideas. Keep it with you wherever you go. 

Well, that's what I have. 

Happy writing. (Sorry I didn't post yesterday, I slept late.)