It’s true to say that no great writing is ever born without some kind of external experience. That’s not to say that you can’t write brilliantly if your daily life follows the same schedule, nor do you have to climb Mount Everest with only a pair of shorts and a rope set to carry you before you’re “permitted” to write, only drawing on what you know, and looking to expand that sense of understanding, can be very helpful.
In either case, writing doesn’t have to be qualified by other people before you get to do it, you can start right now and will undoubtedly have something to say. But if you’re looking for something new to inspire your writing for the better and rejuvenate that sense of creative will, it’s good to look to a few healthy methods of doing so.
But what might those methods be? On this blog, we care about showcasing the wonders of travel, and that can be a great place to start. But what then? Let’s consider this, and hopefully help you on your journey to inspiration:
Cultural Intrigue
There’s a school of thought that says you should only write about what you know and have personally experienced, but that would make much writing out there quite boring and even irrelevant. For this reason, don’t be afraid to write about other peoples, other times, and other places. It can be helpful to have good and accurate references points to do so however. If you can’t travel, it can be nice to enjoy media put out by other cultures. You might look into how to get BBC iPlayer in USA to get British speech patterns down in your writing, or even delve deep into the history and cultural landmarks of a particular place. This will help you write with authority.
Under-Editing
You have time for all the drafts in the world later. Neil Gaiman, fantasy author of wild success, once said that his approach to writing novels is to throw mud at a wall and see what sticks. Then, if part of the wall seems like it could be fashioned into a clearer image, he’ll do that. You can do this over and over until the drafts get tighter. But don’t let the idea of over-editing cause you to limit your ideas or make you feel less competent than you otherwise would – you don’t have to nail your writing in one draft. Just give it a go, even if your story or writing looks like random mud on a wall at first glance.
Enjoyment & Fun
It’s such a simple tip but the truth is, falling in love with writing as opposed to worrying about how to do it “correctly” can ironically help you dig into the real process more readily. It will inspire you to read further afield and cultural perspectives you wouldn’t otherwise. It will give you the robust attitude to read books that argue counter to your own beliefs, if only so you see those arguments articulated. The more enjoyment you have, the more this process fuels you. So make sure this is central to your experience, no matter what type of literature you enjoy delving into.
With this advice, we hope you can inspire your writing for the better, using various methods considered helpful.
Jessica Lippe 