Lack of motivation, inspiration or, worse yet, all out writer's block can be frustrating and depressing. If you're struggling to get going remember that being creative and productive isn't just about the days where you leap out of bed and hammer out wonderful ideas and pages upon pages of work, it's also about how you find your ideas and inspiration.
Sidestep the blank page
A blank page sends the message to you that you have to make something from the ground up, on occasion that's very stimulating but also sometimes it's not what you are in the mindset for.
If this is the case then you need to find what you are in the mindset for. Think carefully about how you feel and why you think you aren't in the mood to do what you want to do. It could be that you are overworked and so not as fresh to come up with the things you want to, that in itself is something you can write about.
Most people will find it difficult or impossible to write about something happy if they are depressed and sad and vice versa. If you can accurately pinpoint your emotional state then you can sidestep getting to the point where you are going against the grain.
If you simply must get into the mood to write the piece you're yearning to write then consider the use of music and adjustments to your surroundings. If you're aiming to pen a Gothic romance, then a brightly lit, modern office and a pop punk CD on the stereo are probably not factors that will assist you.
Prompts
Photographs, pictures and music all provide great prompts for creative writing. Mix and match music and pictures until something gives you a starting point.
Think about a movie you watched or a book you read recently. What characters did you like? What kind of things inspired you about them? Write them in a scene from their daily life or in a scene from something totally at odds with their universe, maybe introduce them to one of your own characters in an unusual setting and see how you move them to interact. You may not end up using the piece as a whole but you may find that you have some nice ideas and more information about your character, or even just a good phrase or two that you lift out and use on something else later.
Write to a friend
Some of history's greatest writers have been almost as famous for their letter writing as their works! You could create a letter or an email that is funny, nostalgic or political but try to make it memorable and think about the reactions you want the person receiving it to have when they read what you've written.
Shakespeare
Often referred to as the greatest English language writer in recorded history Shakespeare's impressive works are not only inspiring straight from the page but have moved generations of writers, filmmakers and musicians to create their own versions and interpretations of his writings. Why not try your hand at making your own version? From "Shakespeare in Love" to "My Own Private Idaho" to "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" there are plenty of examples out there that demonstrate the diversity of material inspired by this writer.
Have some fun
Meet up with a friend and play some fun roleplaying games by coming up with situations and characters for you both to play. Another enjoyable exercise is to take the part of news reporters and give exaggerated reports of everyday events and improvise as you go. It doesn't hurt to remind yourself that creativity is a fun process.
Rework
Whether you type or write longhand, create different files and folders or have different notebooks. When you feel at a loose end you can look through notes and emerging manuscripts to browse for something that hooks you in on that particular day to either improve or work off at a tangent.
Environment
Take yourself out of your usual routine and go for a long walk or eat in a new restaurant while carrying a notebook with you to jot down any ideas or prose you come up with.
Remember that being a creative person involves creative thought and that isn't solely defined by the days where you come up with the goods but by how you get yourself into the right mindset for the right work.