Can You Force Inspiration?

Many days, it feels like I can’t force creativity. There are days where I feel uninspired and scattered, and others where ideas flow endlessly.

I’m realizing that writing is very much tied to my emotional and mental state, and the topics I’m interested in change with my mood.

Sometimes, I’ll start a draft but then later in the week realize I don’t want to finish it. An idea that seemed inspiring on Monday seems boring on Thursday. Other times, I’ll come back to that same idea in a month and it WILL sound interesting again. It’s weird how the brain works.

For example, I started writing a post about Fyre Festival last Friday. News had just broken about the disastrous event, and I was fascinated by how something could go so wrong. I couldn’t stop reading about how it all unraveled. The whole situation was so absurd, and inspired so many questions that I couldn’t wait to get my thoughts on paper.

But when I opened my unfinished draft a few days later, I found myself staring at a blinking cursor for 10 minutes. After spending all weekend discussing Fyre Festival with my friends, I had nothing left to say. I had already expressed myself and resolved most of my questions, so the topic felt stale and old. The “fyre” was gone.

When my inspiration dries up like this, I’ll try one of two methods.

1 — I’ll push through and write anyway (this is what I ended up doing with my Fyre Festival post)

OR

2 — I’ll try to write about something that does align with my current mood and interests.

Option 1: Write Anyway

When I choose option #1 and push through anyway, it never feels good. Nothing flows, and it takes five times as long. I’ll edit myself while writing, and second guess every word as I slog through sentence after sentence. My writing comes from a place of logic and reasoning, rather than feeling and emotion. I rely on outside sources (articles, research, quotes) to help prove a point or support an argument, rather than my own words.

This is the kind writing where I’m never quite sure if I’m making sense, because I’ve lost touch with the core of what I want to say. Or maybe I never really knew in the first place, and that’s the problem. I’m writing without direction or inspiration, and it rarely leads to my best work. My words feel forced; my message falls flat. These posts generally don’t resonate well with readers — they miss the mark.

Option 2: Match Writing with Mood and Interests

On the other hand, when I match my writing to my mood and choose a topic that interests me (option #2), words flow easily. It’s like I know where I’m going, and I don’t second guess myself. My thoughts are clearer. My writing comes from a place of inspiration and intent, feeling and emotion, rather than analysis and logic. This type of writing — inspired writing — not only feels better, but it READS better too, and tends to resonate more strongly with readers. These are the posts that get the most “hearts” on Medium, as well as reader engagement. The irony is that these posts are much easier to write, and take far less work than option #1.

This makes me wonder — if writing feels hard, does it mean I’m on the wrong track?

Can the work that you “slog” through ever be as good as work you’re inspired by?

Many authors attribute their success to writing every day. And it’s not just writers, most creatives will tell you that producing consistently is a key component to their success. The problem is, when you produce every day, you are bound to have days where you don’t feel as creative.

This makes me wonder — how do authors keep focused when their mood changes, or keep writing when they’re feeling uninspired? How do they maintain an emotional connection with their work over time?

If I were writing a book on a single topic, I can imagine feeling burnt out, or craving variety. If I were writing a novel, I can easily picture myself getting bored with my own characters. I’m worried that I won’t be able to tap into the energy that inspired me to create them in the first place.

I know I can’t abandon my focus and change course every time I feel disconnected from my writing or subject matter. Nor do I want to force myself to “slog” through and write when I’m not inspired, only to produce mediocre writing that doesn’t resonate with readers.

What’s the Solution?

Instead of letting my mental state guide me, how can I cultivate a mindset that leads to “flow”?

Is there an option #3 that balances inspiration with writing every day?

What are your solutions for rediscovering inspiration and staying focused?

Post 17/100 of my 100 day writing challenge for 100 Naked Words.