I don’t have an overly busy life, but busy enough that when I have a few hours to write I need to make sure that’s what I’m doing. The problem with this is there is a big difference between enthused/inspired writing and simply putting words onto paper. Usually ends up being the difference between a couple of rewrites vs a couple dozen rewrites. So the trick is finding something that will bring out my creative side as quickly as possible.
In my nearly 30 years of life I have found that movie trailers are typically better then the movie itself. Great trailers not only give you an idea of what the movie is about but encapsulates the emotion of the movie in about 2 minutes vs a 1-2 hour movie. So you get more emotion in a short period of time. Indie movie trailers are also good because the premise of the movie can be so “nontraditional” that it seems to open my mind to new possibilities. Below are a couple of movie trailers that have lately helped kick start my writing.
What about yourselves? What do you use to kick start your creativity?
Nothing To Read Here 
I use articles from different magazines or quotes from books I’m reading to kick start my creativity. I also have very interesting friends that have a lot of nerve. Of course, there’s my life, which I’m making more interesting. Actually, it’s very interesting, but other people just don’t know about it. I think my closed mouth is hindering my opportunities. I’m about to change that. My new quote: “The world is my stage and I’m about to give the best performances of my life.” That will be a great foundation for future stories.
A good quote can help get my mind going in the right direction as well!
Journaling is a way to warm up before I start a writing session. Also, if I’m stuck, I pick up a pen and journal and write about it. Maybe it’s breaking the fourth wall or something, but I’ll write “what in the world is going on here,” and from there it just flows and then I can get back to the story. It’s writing, just without the stress of making it pretty.
Nice. I’ve never tried that one before, adding it to my collection of “muse attracting” rituals 🙂
Lately I’ve been looking for songs that encapsulate the feeling I’m trying to get in the scene I’m writing. I have a long list of songs for upcoming scenes. The only bad thing about this is that I spend more time on youtube looking for songs then I do on the actual writing part I’m doing it for. But, its fun!
LOL. I have certain songs that I will play to get into a certain mood as well.
First of all, I now really want to see “Another Earth” – so thank you for posting that!
I sometimes try just thinking about the things I’ve seen during the day and using them to base a short piece on. When I’m working on a longer work, I usually try stopping a scene in the middle on purpose so that when I go back to writing the next day, I’ll have an idea of where I’m going already.
In short, everything. It can be the way a bird flies around and lands on a wire, a song, a conversation, or a collision of ideas. It comes from so many different places that osmosis would be an understatement. I usually have an overabundance of creativity and a lack of time to execute. Things buzz around in my head but sometimes the transfer takes a couple hours to get flowing, but they are there rattling around.
I think you have ADD 😉 I kid, I kid
You’re a lucky dude. I still struggle to coincide my free time with my inspired time. You get yourself some more free time & you’re gonna come up with something pretty sweet!
Have you heard of the TV series “Human Planet” produced by the BBC? That’s one series that really got my creative juices flowing. Otherwise movie soundtracks usually do the trick … normally I stick with Hans Zimmer, but my library of soundtracks is huuuuge.
I’ll have to check that out. I’m a big fan of the BBC documentaries, especially the nature ones (Life, Planet Earth, etc). Those can kick start my inspiration as well
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Well, I’ve found that I need two steps to make it work.
1. Read some of my own previous writing (it’s more of a reaffirmation, I think)
2. Write what’s in your head without bothering about the quality of the writing. The refinement of those words comes in later.
Have you read Stephen King’s “On Writing”? I believe that his suggestion of “read good authors” is a very valid one. It helps, even if subconsciously.
Journaling is always helpful to me, but a lot of ideas I’ve journaled have come from news stories, quotes, figures of speech, and songs. Movie clips like you’ve posted are helpful too. I’d never heard of The Help–definitely going to go look it up now. Thanks!