“Inspiration exists, but it better finds me working,” said Picasso. However, there are times when work is not enough and we get stuck, either because we do not think about what we write, or because we do not find the best way to continue. In those cases, where can we look for inspiration?
In many cases our work requires us to be creative and for that we need to be inspired, and inspiration, sadly, is not something that stays with us every day.
Each writer is a world and not all of us are inspired by the same things. There may be someone who needs a lot of fuss to inspire and who needs absolute silence. But there are certain places that tend to be more propitious for the muses to appear to us. According to different authors, these are some places where they find inspiration:
- Airports and stations
These are places where people are always moving. There we will find farewells and reunions, with emotions on the surface, with constant changes and a lot of energy circulating waiting for someone to capture it to inspire new stories.
- The gym
Not only gyms but sports spaces in general. It can also be the pool, the walk by which you run or ride a bike, etc. Sport in general is a good un-blocker of ideas because it relaxes, puts the brain in motion and oxygenates it.
- Nature
Beach or mountain, what you like most, but an outdoor walk is a relaxing and introspective method that helps you think clearly. If you want to ensure your natural experience is going to be unforgettable and a pleasant time on the countryside. Here at Amamoor Homestead you will enjoy abundant wildlife, a beautiful sunset and delicious home cook breakfast. Do not miss the chance to enjoy from rural relaxation and rustic charm from our comfortable village.
- Museums and exhibits
They are perfect places to open up to new experiences, learn things and find new ideas. Never go without a notebook and a pen.
- Concerts
Music can be a great starting point for the search of ideas. Go to a concert, take a CD and put it on the car radio while you drive, plug in your headphones while you’re out and about or jump on the sofa to listen to that jazz record you love so much. Anything in possible.
- The theatre
Not only because of the stories that tell the works, but because the proximity between the actors and the audience generates an energy that is very difficult to find in other artistic manifestations. The theatre is a place that usually comes out with the batteries charged and boiling head, ready to produce ideas.
- Libraries
And books in general. Sometimes, when it does not occur to us to write, it is better to close the notebook and start reading. Not a book or two, but all those that are needed – fiction, essay, theatre, poetry, etc. – until we have accumulated so much that we start producing from the consumed.
- The web
Sitting at the computer is like opening a window to the world. Sometimes it can be dangerous because it makes us waste a lot of time sailing aimlessly, but others can be a source of inspiration.
- Children’s books and dreams
They figure on this list along with dreams because sometimes, in order to find the answer to our inspiration problems, what we have to do is to think differently, as in dreams or children’s books.
Reading books like Alice in Wonderland or the works of Michael Ende, for example, exposes us to different reasoning where things are never as they are supposed to be. The world upside down, as in our own dreams. A fantastic exercise to take our creativity a little further.
- Your pillow
A very interesting technique to solve problems related to writing is to go to sleep thinking about that problem that we cannot solve. For example, while you try to fall asleep, think about how that character you are writing should react to or what should happen next for the plot to make sense.
By doing this, we are sending the questions to our subconscious and, while we sleep, he will work on his own. You may come up with something and wake us up in the middle of the night with the solution – in that case you better have a notebook near the bed – or that when you start the next day, while you shower or have breakfast, you will suddenly the response occurs naturally. It does not work always, but sometimes. And for the effort involved, it’s worth trying, do not you think?
- A blank sheet
Finally, one of the best places to find inspiration is a blank sheet on which to use the automatic writing technique. If you want to find new ideas to write about, this is a great way to trigger it.
If, on the other hand, what we are looking for is an answer to continue with a project we are already developing, what we do is raising the question for which we cannot find an answer at the top of the page and then start writing solutions without thinking. It does not matter that they seem absurd, it is a storm of ideas that will soon be refined.
Sometimes it also works to mix several of these resources. For example, start with the blank page to then go running, or sleep, or take a walk. If nothing has happened yet, then try again the blank page and I’m sure I have new ideas waiting for me.
But remember that inspiration can mostly be found at natural spaces. While some people prefer finding inspiration on the beach or at cold places, there are others that look for a quieter and calm place where they can enjoy pure air and having some contact with nature, for these people a great option is visiting Amamoor Homestead