WRITERS RESPOND NO. 1 Motivation, Inspiration, and Prompts
Welcome to Writers Respond, a blog series where Empty Inkwell editors respond to questions posed by the audience. Today, we are discussing motivation & inspiration in writing via short snips of advice from a variety of poets and storytellers.
Q: “I really struggle with motivation. I love to write, but sometimes it’s difficult. Any tips?”
IZ: I learned the skill of freewriting at a summer program, and it really helped me out. Just let the pen move on the page, and don’t judge what comes out. First drafts are meant to be messy — you’ll edit it later. Additionally, discipline can be important. Try keeping a schedule of when you’re writing. Make it a fun activity, not a chore. Write on bus rides and in the space between the more hectic parts of your day. When you feel something tug at you, write it down. It’s also super nice to flip back on past ideas from freewrites and let that serve as a starting point for your next draft. Motivation is difficult for all writers, and the most important thing is just to find out what works best for you.
NK: Read acclaimed books! Whenever I read a novel or poetry collection of something moving, that either touches me or inspires me, I get so much more motivated to write. Also, I usually write about my personal experiences, so if reading doesn’t help, building off of something you know well or can describe well is always a good way to start a piece.
AJ: Writing often comes from a place of necessity. I get this feeling that there’s some emotion or experience tangled up inside of me that can only be understood through writing, like I can’t move on with my life unless I sit down and put pen to paper. To me, motivation shouldn’t be forced, it should be innate. If you are lacking the drive to write, I wouldn’t spend all of your energy begging it to come back. Let the writing come to you! In the meantime, while writing feels too difficult, continue to read and be creative through other methods. Inspiration is the best motivation, and it will inevitably hit you!
AP: I think what has helped me the most to feel motivated is to write daily, even when I feel like I have nothing to say. Once writing became a habit, it felt less daunting to approach an empty page with a blank mind. I also find that rereading my favorite writers is a great way to feel inspired to create. When I read incredible authors like Emily St. John Mandel, Sandra Cisneros, and Kazuo Ishiguro I feel such deep admiration for the art of writing that I cannot help but want to create something I have equal admiration for.
Q: “How do you overcome writer’s block and get inspiration?”
IZ: Walking around, going outside to get inspired and to take a break from writing. Keeping a journal of words & ideas from ordinary life. Referring back to lines and ideas left out of old drafts. I also really like to get in touch with subjects I have limited knowledge about, whether it is walking through a greenhouse and jotting down a poem or researching ancient civilizations to supplement my worldbuilding. It is refreshing to write about the unfamiliar.
JG: Reading!! You should be reading something new everyday— personally I like to look at Poetry Foundation’s poem of the day every morning, they show great stuff.
LGB: Freewriting is such a good source of inspiration. I love setting a timer and writing anything and everything that comes to mind for a while. Take inspiration from your surroundings!
AJ: My go-to strategy is to search for external inspiration and try to get out of my head. This can come in many forms: reading (while taking notes on what strikes you within other’s writing), talking to friends or family (often reconnecting with the world and people around us can provide tangible things to write about instead of floating around in a limbo of untranslatable emotion), and meditation (can be as simple as staring at a wall in complete silence for a little while)!
Q: What are some of your favorite prompts, and where can I find resources to get inspired?
Here are some of the editors’ favorite prompts:
Begin writing with “I remember.” Add a detail from your memory. Make it personal. Repeat. (Optional: Remove “I remember” from each line. Restructure the piece into a poem, or whatever else you like).
Go on a walk through town. Write down names of road signs, stores, posters on lampposts. Write down everything.
Ekphrasis writing: pick a painting or a photo, and write from it.
Write about humans from the perspective of an inanimate object.
Kudzu: find a poem you like. Write into it—between lines, in the margins. Remove everything from the original poet.
Use a memory and exaggerate it, creating a “tall tale” of sorts.
Flip through a book and put your finger on a random word. Write something off of that word.
Write a story through a found form like a Craigslist missed connection, Found Magazine piece, recipe, or book review.
Prompts from writers via Instagram:
Stay updated with The Empty Inkwell Review to hear more prompts, or get inspired with us through a free online class! Or, email us what inspires you for our Inspiration page, and submit a question you’d like advice on via our question box. Happy autumn, and happy writing.
Written by the Empty Inkwell Editors