We’ve all heard about the dreaded writer’s block. Many of you reading this post have, perhaps, experienced it. Two words are imperative to becoming a successful fiction author: motivation and inspiration. A lack of either is a recipe for disaster when your goal is to create a new story.
A fiction author can find inspiration in some of the most unlikely places. For example, Suzanne Collins, author of the best-seller, “The Hunger Games,” was flipping channels on television when the inspiration for the story came over her. What was she watching? She was switching back and forth between reality shows and news reel about war in Iraq. The apparent contrast between the shallow or superficial themes of reality TV and actual footage of war inspired her to create the fantasy tale, which has now sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.
A fiction author can find inspiration on TV
As made evident in the example mentioned in the previous section, reality TV and news about the horrors of war are vastly different viewing genres. If you’re a fiction author seeking inspiration, expand your horizons regarding what you watch, read, and experience. If you limit yourself to the same-old-same-old, creative ideas will no doubt eventually dwindle or come to a screeching halt altogether.
By constantly feeding your brain new experiences, you give it fodder for new creations. Try doing the opposite of what you normally do. Step outside the box. If you usually read thrillers, try reading a few love stories or mysteries instead. Watch movies if you typically just watch the news. Exposing your brain to a variety of genres may spark inspiration.
Be childlike and create new worlds
Children love to make believe, whether it’s building fairy houses or pretending to be explorers who discover uncharted regions. As a fiction author, you can find inspiration in creative play, even if your “play” is writing for fun. Create a new world and incorporate as many details as possible. Who lives in this world? Where is it, what does it look like and smell like?
Do humans live in your new world or magical beasts —or both? Who knows? A world you create just for fun might inspire you to write a best-selling novel.
Empty your mind
On the other end of the spectrum from filling your mind with new experiences, is to let yourself feel boredom. Do nothing. Try to “think” nothing as much as possible. Emptying your mind gives it the space it needs to be creative. It’s a clean (blank) slate. The possibilities are endless. When you allow yourself to free your thoughts (often referred to as “abstract thinking”), you make room for inspiration.
Ask friends and family to share ideas
Offer friends and family members this prompt: What if? Tell them they have several hours or a day to fill in the blanks with their ideas. Someone might say, “What if people could fly?” or “What if the world were going to end tomorrow?” Take the ideas that inspire you the most and run with them by turning them into your next story.
Where do you find inspiration as a Christian fiction author? Tell us about it in the comments under this post on our Facebook page.
