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Everywhere!

If you have no inspiration, look around you, take a walk, mingle with your housemates. Writers who can come up with a great story on any topic are usually very curious people, constantly asking questions, looking into topics they don't understand and keeping their ears and eyes open at all times. There are stories all around you, on your walk to work, on your lunch break, in your own office.

Inspiration comes through the senses, through smells, tastes, sounds and textures. It comes from memories, experiences and observations. It comes from the news, from conversations, photographs, magazines, books and walks in the park.

But don't get me wrong; writers have a terrible affliction to contend with: the evil troll called Writer's Block who refuses to open the bridge for ideas to pass through. There are ways to beat him though.

In fact, sometimes the best inspiration comes from inside your own head. Sometimes it's just a matter of putting fingertips to keyboard and letting them poke away at random for five minutes and a story will come to you. Make a list of everything you want to accomplish in life, fill out one of those silly internet surveys with creative answers, write some emails or even better, read something. It could be a blog or a book or a newspaper, but often the words of others will strike up an entirely different idea for you.

Inspiration can come from people we admire, from famous quotes, movies, the simple act of staring at a candle flame or into a bonfire and letting our thoughts wander. It comes from dreams and daydreams, songs and TV shows. Commercials, even.

The best part is that it can strike at any time. Usually, it's when you least expect it. You have to be prepared when it pops up and catch it before it runs off again, which makes it essential for any writer to carry a pen and notebook or a voice recorder at all times. Inspiration can sneak up in the middle of the night, while you're in the shower, in the middle of a meeting, on a night out with friends. Snap it up as soon as you can. Ideas that come at random can generate other ideas, which is always handy.

If you're feeling uninspired, it may be your environment. Perhaps the lighting isn't right, it's too cold or your desk is a mess, distracting your thought process. Take a minute and fix whatever it is that's blocking your progress. Have a cup of tea or something to eat. A hot bath. Some people have special times of day they feel particularly inspired so find out if that's the case by a bit of experimentation. If there's something else you need to remember that's blocking your mind, write it on a post-it and you won't have to worry.

Peace is often a writer's best friend, but others prefer a coffee shop atmosphere where they can gain inspiration for characters through people watching. Airports are another great place for that, as is the bus or train.

Another idea is to challenge yourself to do something you've never done before. Travel somewhere new, go to a drag club, try some jellied eels, take a camera out around your neighborhood and snap some photos.

Inspiration is everywhere, you just have to open your eyes and let it come flooding in.

Learn more about this author, Stephanie Sadler.
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