Inspiration is all around us

Yeah, my son brought home a careers book from the library and it had some awesome jobs in there from Forensic Scientists, botanists, Entymologists and a stack load more.
Then i had an idea with the Entymologist career, that snowballed into a fullon outline of characters conflicts and their life aspirations - i love how tiny things can create the best ideas! I know i'll work on this idea as soon as i have finished my current WIPs!

Have you had any great inspiration lately? Was it from something tiny or huge?

when inspiration strikes

I have a love hate relationship with inspiration.
When i have the time to sit down and write i don't seem to have that inspiration and it turns into a hard slog until i finally get into the groove, and then my precious time is up!
But when i've got that inspiration it's just as i've gotten into bed and think i can finally sleep, or i'm in the car on the way to school drop off, or watching a movie spending some quality time with my husband... I love that inspiration because i can get a few thousand words down with a minimum of fuss, but it's always at the wrong time!

I did maximize my writing word count in January by having three WIP's on the go. Yep, 3! When inspiration struck it was for either of the 3 and i just went for it, and got the most word count (collectively) that i have ever.

What do you do with your inspiration? Do you have more than one WIP on the go? When does inspiration usually strike for you?

Naughty...but surprised!

Well, after not writing anything on my WIP for a long time due to other commitments, i had lost the flow.

Couldn't get the motivation, the feel, you know?

So i decided to read a few books in the genre to get the feel for it again...Some brilliant category romances by my new favourite author Nicola Marsh...but then i don't think should have picked a favourite!

Her writing is fantastic - see previous post for my gushing :)

It made me feel really bad about my own WIP. It is too slow paced, my characters are boring, the premise isn't good enough...you know the drill. Doubt sets in!

So i did a naughty thing.

I opened my document and instead of writing i read from the beginning, with the pure intention of hitting the delete key!

Imagine my shock, and delight, when i discovered that it isn't as slow as i thought, the characters aren't as boring.

It is raw. But it's a first draft. It's my first stab at category romance and the books i've just read by my new fav author is something like her 20th published work! Geez.

End of chapter one, i was re-inspired and hit the keys to get the end of the document and continued where i'd left off.

1000 words later and i'm slowly but surely getting there! ... Well in between demands from my little princess asking for dolls clothes that is!

Have you had doubts in your writing, but then been surprised when you've re-read it?

Early morning inspiration

Does anyone else wake up in the early hours - say 1.30am? - and have many great ideas for stories and even being able to piece together great conversations that some fictional characters may have?

I've found - because i'm awake due to headaches urgh! - that that time is the best for creativity.

But be warned. Such creativity is not conducive for a good sleep afterwards - it wakes up the brain!

It must have something to do with the brain waves theory Rob Parnell discussed on his website easywaytowrite.com. It all makes so much sense.

But why can't i have these inspiring thoughts when i want them to happen, that is when i'm at the computer with about an hour up my sleeve while the kids are asleep or at kindy? It would make things so much simpler, but i guess that is Murphy's Law isn't it!

My advice though, if you ever do, or possibly may someday, wake up VERY early in the morning: have a notebook and pen handy because the creativity at that half awake half asleep hour is brilliant.

Hope this helps
Kerrin