Inspiration –
A Myth or a Gift from
the Gods??
By Chris Bishop
Apparently,
when asked about how to become a writer, P G Wodehouse replied that you sit
in front of the typewriter and curse a bit!
Whilst probably not entirely productive, that does sound familiar and marginally
more satisfying that staring at a blank sheet of paper hoping for some sort of
inspiration.
 |
| Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash |
I’ve heard other writers speak about how
they’ve experienced inspiration in the form of a ‘Gift from the Gods’, providing them with the idea for the perfect story.
I’m sure that can happen, but I have to
say that I’ve never experienced it. For
me, whatever I get in the form of inspiration comes in one of two ways:-
1.
The
kernel of an idea which sets my mind on a certain track. It’s hard to say where that idea originates but
it seldom comes complete and needs to be nurtured and developed.
2.
The
solution to a problem in a plot I’m working on which suddenly presents itself. For me, this often happens with the ending –
I seldom know the ending when I start writing (and prefer not to) but one seems
to present itself at just the right moment.
I suppose that is a form of inspiration.
In either case these ‘thoughts’ tend to
arrive at the most inopportune times – and quite often at night. I then struggle to remember them in the
morning or, even if I do, they don’t seem half as good in the cold light of day! In order not to miss something, I keep a
notebook beside the bed but even that isn’t fool proof as I sometimes struggle
to read what I’ve scribbled in the dark – so perhaps I need a torch as well…?
Why do these ideas come at night? I don’t know, but other writers I’ve met say
they’ve experienced the same. Perhaps
it’s because something you’ve been working on is still in your mind and, when you
relax, the subconscious takes over. I
find that the important thing is not to force these ideas – I need to let them
settle and work them through in my mind.
I
think of it as being like a bird which has spotted a worm. It has to pull its prey out of the ground using
as much force as is needed whilst being careful not to break it and thereby
lose part of its supper!
But where does inspiration come from and
how do you get it? I think it is true
that it’s actually all around you, you just have to open up all your senses to
find it – a chance remark, a picture, someone you meet – they can all provide
that essential ‘spark’ for a story. With
this in mind I keep an ideas book in
which I jot down things which I think might be worth working on. It can be surprisingly productive but quite often
I find that as the story develops the original idea gets lost along the way. This never
troubles me unduly as after all, you can never see the spark which
started the fire. By way of an example,
my first book, Blood and Destiny,
started out as a ghost story based on a team of archaeologists who find the
grave of a young boy in a remote and lonely place. As I tried to write it the ghost of the boy
seemed to take over the story – almost as if he was guiding my pen. There’s more about that on my website (www.chrisbishopauthor.com) under the
heading of The Hand Which Guides The Pen
but it was a rare and truly extraordinary experience and probably as close
to ‘inspiration’ as I’ve ever come. It
took two years for me to write that story - and there’s now no mention of those
original archaeologists!
So, what if, like many writers, you’re
struggling for inspiration; what can you do to get the creative juices flowing? Well, given all I’ve said so far, I’m not
sure that I’m best qualified to offer advice but it might help to mention some
of the tips I’ve been given over the years and found useful.
Firstly, for me, the hardest thing is to
get myself started. It’s amazing how
many things I can find to do to put off actually writing. The only way I’ve ever found of dealing with
this is self-discipline – but it’s never easy.
However, there are things which can help:-
·
Know
your creative time. For me this is always the morning before my
mind becomes cluttered by all the daily ‘stuff’. Other writers I know can only start once the
curtains are drawn and the candles lit.
Of course, that’s all very well but work and family commitments may
dictate any available ‘slot’ so it’s often a matter of adapting as best you
can.
·
Find
a creative space - your ‘go to’ spot
where you can focus on writing - or thinking about writing (surely an equally
valid part of the process?) I treat this
as like going to work and, being used to discipline in my former profession, find
that setting myself deadlines and targets actually helps me to focus. I also allocate myself set hours albeit the
routine will change depending on whether I’m drafting, researching or editing. Unfortunately, all this tends to fly in the
face of seeing writers as ‘free spirited creatives’, but it works for me.
Having done all this, you still have to
get something down on paper and many writers have their own special routines
for that very purpose. I know some who start
by carefully laying out everything on the desk, each item having its own
special place. I suppose this follows
the saying that a tidy desk means a tidy mind, but my workspace is usually a
pile of books and notes – though I always know where everything is – (well, maybe
not always!). I can’t begin without
having a cup of coffee beside me and I always have to start by drafting what
I’m proposing to write in long hand as I find this helps me to get my thoughts
into some sort of order. There are many
other examples of the ‘routines’ which writers follow and, however bizarre they
may seem, I think they are important as they tell the brain that it’s time to
be creative.
But what if the juices still don’t
flow? Well, to overcome the dreaded writer’s block, I find that it sometimes
helps to prime the pump – i.e. to just
start writing. It doesn’t seem to matter
what - (a lot of it will be discarded anyway).
The important thing then is that once you
do get started you must eliminate
unwanted distractions. So, close the
door, switch off the phone and ignore social media and anything else that will
take your mind off the job in hand. It
takes time to get into a story so, once there, it’s best to stay put!
And the best advice I’ve ever given myself?
Ignore
the fridge! That can be like a
magnet for me but I assure you, there
are no good stories in there, only calories.
Finally, remember that inspiration is only a very small part of
writing. It’s like a spark - you need to
fan it and feed it before the flames will rise. I once heard that writing is 1% inspiration
and 99% perspiration – and that certainly sounds about right for me!
Chris Bishop
Chris Bishop is the author of The Shadow
of The Raven Series which is set in Anglo Saxon England at the time of Alfred
the Great.
Book 1 Blood and Destiny and Book 2 The Warrior with the Pierced Heart are out now in
paperback and ebook.
Find out more at
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See you on your next coffee break!
Take Care,
Mary Anne xxx