8 Ways to Get Inspired To Write

Inspiration is a fickle muse that never seems to come when you call. But I personally think the best way to find writing inspiration is to make sure you’ve got as many tools on your side as possible.

These are some of my favorite strategies to find writing inspiration. They’re great for whether you’re writing something new or trying to get unstuck in a current project! 

1. Moodboard your writing project 

I actually took this tip from The Creative Pep Talk podcast, which I listen to every week. Andy (the host) is an illustrator, which makes sense why he would mood board his projects. I’ve actually had fun doing this for a couple of my poetry projects, too! I’ve also seen writers create spotify playlists for their books or characters.

I used good old Pinterest and collect images that resonate with the mood I want my work to create. I’ve yet to try this with my stand-up comedy, but hey! Maybe I should.

The best part is not only finding the images fun, collecting them in one place gives you a space to turn to when you need to get in the mood to write.

2. Look up submission opportunities 

Do you have a magazine you’ve been wanting to get into? Look at some of their previously published work for inspiration. It’s even better if they have a themed call for a specific issue, you can use that as inspiration for your writing!

Chill Subs is an excellent resource for finding opportunities.

3. Go on a walk or stretch 

Getting your blood moving is scientifically proven to help improve productivity. So if you’re feeling stuck, going for a walk or just some light stretching, can help move the block. Our brains love to work on things in the background, so giving yourself a different simple task to do (like walking) can help loosen ideas and slide pieces into place.

4. Use writing prompts 

This one can feel pretty straightforward, but using a prompt can help you start writing. Having a rule to follow can help you activate the creative part of your brain.

Some of my favorite sources for prompts online:

• The Time Is Now from Poets & Writers - They have weekly fiction, nonfiction, and poetry prompts that also connect you to other work worth reading!

• The Writers Digest - These tend to be geared toward fiction writers, but still useful!)

• Searching for #writingprompts on Instagram.

Following poets and literary journals on social media can usually help connect you to writing resources, too! I know never lit mags post prompts regularly to their feeds.

5. Sign up for a workshop

Learning from other writers is such a good resource for writing inspiration! There are plenty of workshops for free if you poke around the internet.

My favorite thing to do is use workshops to give me dedicated time to work on a project. Oftentimes, writing workshops will have you generating new work based on the workshop topic. I always use them to write about my current project, within the context of the prompts provided. It’s can help you break out of a rut if you’ve been writing about something for a while, or don’t know where to start!

If you’re in Kansas City, Poetic Underground and Charlotte Street offer workshops pretty regularly. 

Some of my online favorites are Undercurrent, The Poetry Lab, and Chill Subs all offer workshops (though these are typically paid or sliding scale).

6. Revise your old work

Taking the time to revise your poetry on your own is a valuable use of your writing time. Sometimes reworking an old piece can inspire you to write something new!

Revising doesn’t always have to mean cutting things, it can sometimes mean adding to pieces, too! Some of my best moment of writing inspiration have happened while working on revising something.

7. Pick up a book (or listen to a podcast!)

When you feel like your creative well has run dry, it’s time to rest! While you’re resting, it’s a great time to pick up a book for fun or a book on writing to refill your bucket.

Listening to podcast interviews with your favorite artists is another great way to add new tools and ideas to your arsenal.

8. Brain dump 

When all else fails, just free write and see what happens! Don’t worry about writing well, just write something. 

Morning pages is a strategy from The Artist Way and is a great way to get unstuck. You can use a page number or set a timer, but the point is to write without stopping until you’ve filled the pages or the timer goes off.

Interested in more writing inspiration?

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About the author

Abby Bland (she/they) is a nonbinary writer who also straddles the line between comic and poet in Kansas City. Her poems have appeared in numerous publications and she regularly produces shows in the KC area.