Inspiration just struck! I was able to add 4 written pages in less than an hour to The Soul Heist making me halfway through the first chapter! Wow, I feel great. The dam of ideas has finally broken and I think I can do this. All it took was a fleeting though while in the bathroom. I know, TMI, but seriously, all good ideas come from the porcelain throne. I needed a change in pace to liven things up and now I have my motivation. Could today get any more wonderful?
All writing advice starts with write every day, and this has been my goal for this year. But not every day can be as successful as this one (For example yesterday…). That is why I love this quote that I used on my whiteboard this week from Robert collier. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” Even if I only write 200 words a day, it adds up over time. A slow novel is still a novel at the end. Never ever give in to the desire to sit around and wait for motivation. Half of the reason I got this inspiration is because I forced myself to start a scene even though I had no clear idea on where I was going.
I draw most of my inspiration from dreams, and everyday life. My idea for this novel was drawn from my introversion and wanting to feel how other people feel in crowds. I thought it would be so cool to experience life as another person, even for just a day or two. To feel confident and try out being tall. Or maybe go back to a younger person and spend a week in middle school to relive those awkward experiences. As writers, we try to get into others heads constantly. So I decided, why not make it a literal journey, but not one that I am taking. So my poor characters will be dragged through the consciousness of many others during the course of this adventure novel. I am honestly very excited to see how this goes.
When I lack motivation I tend to describe the scenery a lot more than when my ideas are flowing freely. Which is necessary if not a little dull to write. But even writing those few word a day keeps my mind practicing and thinking about my story, my world. If you are not constantly mulling over an idea, it will not get more clear magically. It will become vaguer over time until you have nothing to show for your brilliant novel.
For this burst of inspriation, I decided to introduce my other main character sooner, rather than later. By having him make his grand entrance, it moves my plot along nicely and makes sure that the reader knows who they are to root for within the first 3,000 words. It also allows me to write more dialogue as my novel was already becoming too prose heavy. (Just breathe, it is the first draft. It will edit nicely.)
I feel the more tips that I learn, the more they try to dictate my work, but I have to remember that rules are just guidelines. If everyone followed the exact same set of rules books would become too formulaic. And language is an ever-changing monster. The rules that I read may be severely outdated for modern English. Even if they aren’t, I am writing to entertain, not trying to become the next Pulitzer prize winner. Words are an art, and art can be anything. So while I obviously try to follow grammar rules, I refuse to get caught up in the rules for adverb use and if I end my sentence with a preposition at times. As long as my ideas are good, I am happy.
Sorry this is short, but I have ideas to write! Have you had any strokes of inspiration lately? What gets your creative juices flowing?
The Honest Writer 