by Kristyn Marie Hammond

Created on: December 16, 2009

Inspiration isn't magic.  If you're an aspiring writer waiting for inspiration to clock you over the head, disappointment will be the inevitable result.  Writers are constantly searching for new topics; inspiration is a process that plays a major role in the search for worthy subjects.  In the hunt inspiration, the journey is just as important as the destination, so learning what works for you and makes your journey a comfortable and productive one is key.

It's important to remember that there is no standard, what works for one writer may not work for another.  Some simple and effective suggestions for inspiration might include a quick change in environment, an afternoon of observation and eavesdropping, or a flip through a magazine.  These suggestions are certainly the first stop on the journey to inspiration for most writers, but when they fail to satisfy and inspiration doesn't strike, it often pays to consider less conventional, more creative exercises.

*FORTUNE COOKIES*

That's right, fortune cookies!  If you're looking for a quick burst of inspiration or a topic you can turn into a tale, consider fortune cookies.  These little eastern treats might just have your next story, character trait, or plot twist inside.   Fortune cookies often offer esoteric or unusual suggestions about how you might fix your life, suggestions many of us simply cast aside.  Instead, consider taking those fortunes home, or to the desk, and turning them into story prompts.  Write a short scene involving a character from your novel, turn the cookies suggestion into a short story, or incorporate the cookie's advice into a character's traits or philosophy.  The relative difficulty of this task is pleasantly surprising.

If no fortune cookies are available, try these fortune cookie generators:

- Random Fortune Cookies

- Fortune

- Misfortune Cookies

- China Unique: Fortune Cookies

- Blogthings: The Wacky Fortune Cookie Generator

- Fortune Cookies

*PROMPTS*

Not all prompts are created equal.  There are sites on the net that offer quick, easy prompt suggestions, which may or may not inspire inspiration.  Rather than relying on cliché and unfulfilling prompts, try something a bit spicier.  Gayle Brandeis’s book “Fruitflesh” is an excellent source of inspiration for those willing to partake of its unusual suggestions.  While the book markets to women, men willing to think unconventionally

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