Having trouble getting inspiration for material?
Of all the questions I get from the writers and comedians I work with, by far the most common relates to inspiration.
“I haven’t ‘felt’ like writing.” or “Sometimes I feel it and sometimes I don’t.”
Do you fit into this category? Do you have trouble finding the inspiration to write?
When is the last time you wrote something and felt satisfied? When is the last time you wrote something fulfilling?
When is the last time you wrote something at all?
It happens to all of us. There were times that I would go weeks without writing a new joke. It felt miserable.
One day I purchased a book called “The Writer’s Way,” and it was part of my all-out plan to never have writers’ block again. And you know what?
It worked!
One of the things I learned in that book and from reading about guys like George Carlin and Jerry Seinfeld is to write everyday. EVERYDAY. Non-negotiable.
Whether I write a paragraph or a joke or two. I make time every day to sit down and write something. Anything.
Some writers wait for an inspiration to hit them. Other writers summon their muse by developing a regular routine to work by thereby following the philosophy of:
[gn_quote style=”1″]A Routine for writing, creates a routine for inspiration.[/gn_quote]
But it’s up to you. First you have to start with a decision to do it, then you need to plan your day, your week and set up a specific time (an appointment with yourself) that you block out in your daily calendar that is designated for your writing time and then STICK to that routine.
You’ll be amazed that when you stick to the routine, your inspiration will find it’s way to you.
It’s like working both sides of the creative equation.
Sometimes inspiration just happens and other times you have to coax it along by doing cliche exercises or writing 50 random lines from the news, ad-copy or editorials.
Here’s a great article on creativity. I read it and it inspired me to write this blog post.
Maybe it will help you to set up your own regular writing routine and get more creative!
Do you have certain techniques you use to get yourself inspired? Share them in the comments section!
