Inspiration

Inspiration comes from our whole being. Our intellect gets the bulk of credit when we come up with a brilliant idea, but it really acts only as a receiver and filter for innovation. It doesn’t do it alone.

Our feelings play a bigger role. We might feel a strong emotion that triggers a host of creative ideas. For example, in my first novel my tentative book outline included a ‘flood chapter.’ I’ve never been in a flood, so I watched some YouTube videos of floods for ideas. As I watched I could see the desperation in peoples faces as they filled sandbags and built levees. It brought back memories of how I felt when I’d been in a tornado in Wisconsin when I was twelve, and when I watched nearby mountains on fire in California a few years ago. I used those stored up emotions to write my flood scene and it wound up so long I had to turn it into two chapters.

Our five senses can prompt the whole spectrum of emotions. When I thought about the California fires I remembered smoke. Smelling smoke with every breath you take sets off a natural kind of alarm in your head. So does a clap of thunder. The smell of flowers, the powerful rev of an engine, a hot shower, and joyful singing all give different sensations that can breed inspiration.

Human interaction can give us insight, too. I overheard a conversation between an elderly husband and wife at the store the other day. They had a misunderstanding that made me laugh and gave me a story idea. Don’t worry, I don’t deliberately eavesdrop on private conversations to obtain writing ideas. They were speaking loudly--he may have been hard of hearing--I could not help but hear and I’m glad I did. The story will not be their exact scenario, they just lit the fuse for a narrative that will unfold from my imagination.

I also get ideas when I’m doing mundane tasks. I’m not deep in concentration and over-thinking like I am when I’m focused on writing at my computer. Let’s face it, I really don’t have to think about silverware when I unload the dishwasher, I’m on auto-pilot, my mind is open and free. The other day I was vacuuming and the perfect dialogue for a scene I was struggling with earlier popped into my head. I clicked off the machine and ran to the computer to get it down before I could forget. Earlier at the computer, I was stuck, but when I worked out my frustration physically I refocused and inspiration came. Many successful people go for walks, swims, or practice yoga for this reason. They deliberately create physical circumstances where their minds will be more open to receive ideas.

No matter what your profession, always approach a problem with your whole being not just your brain. Brains are great, but they can’t do it alone.

“Inspiration is needed in geometry, just as much as in poetry.” Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin