Book Writing ideas -5 ways of getting inspiration for book writing

Book Writing ideas -5 ways of getting inspiration for book writing

Regardless of the type of book which ought to be written, writing can be hard, especially for beginners or those who have never attempted writing before.

Oftentimes, writers tend to overthink a story or a project up to the extent that they experience writer’s block or they keep rewriting a particular section over and over again. If you are currently in that situation, try not to feel depressed or sad and, most importantly, try not to give up.

Being stuck or “lacking inspiration” is something that most writers face at different phases in their lives and their careers as well. The upside to this problem is that inspiration is all around human beings, it is left for you, as the writer, to pay close attention and use the clues provided to the fullest.

Hence, five major ways writers can use to get inspiration for book writing includes:

Read books and watch Television

Books, television shows, documentaries, newspapers and magazines are strong sources of information and inspiration. This is so because, when watching or reading through these things, the brain is allowed to wander into different places and curate new ideas or stories regarding a particular subject matter.

This means that there is a high chance of unlocking or keying into one’s imagination while doing so. For example, if a writer is willing to start a crime story and he/she seems stuck, the best thing to do is watch multiple crime-centred movies, and read crime-centred documentaries as well as stories.

By doing so, the writer can become hooked on a particular story and try to reshape it again in his/her mind. However, in order for this to happen, it is vital for the writer to pay attention to key details like the mode in which the event took place, the narrative style, the mood and so on.

Interview yourself and others

Interviewing oneself, as well as other people can serve as a strong source of inspiration for a story or a project. Hence, if a writer strongly agrees or disagrees with a particular matter, he/she can decide to look for reasons behind such strong feelings and seek the opinions of others as well.

While seeking the opinions of other people, some people might be forced to share life experiences or known events regarding a particular matter. This way, the writer will be able to combine these events as well as opinions and turn them into a story.

For example, if a writer hates the current happenings in Nigeria, he/she can stage and ask him/herself deep questions relating to the reason behind such hatred. After getting the answers to the questions asked, the writer can go ahead and politely ask others about their opinions regarding the same matter.

However, while carrying out these exercises, the writer must use a jotter or book to write down these opinions, stories and even the reactions of the people who are dishing out these opinions. Later, when the writer is relaxed, he/she can go through these notes and think of ways to modify or extend the notes taken.

Pay close attention to real-life events

In order to construct a good story or curate a proper project, one must first of all be a good observer. This is so because writers tend to be deeply moved by circumstances or events which may directly or indirectly affect them. Hence, a direct or indirect real-life event tends to tingle the inspiration of a writer who may be deeply affected by it.

For example, a writer can look at a mad woman walking on the streets with her baby and become deeply moved by the fact that the woman would have become a better mother to her child if not for her situation. From there, the writer can start to curate or think about different incidences which may have led the woman to this particular stage or place in her life.

Similarly, he/she can also wonder what will happen to the child in the future or how the child might be affected mentally in the future. The assumptions and predictions that the writer makes can become the cornerstone of a beautiful romantic or tragic story.

Alternatively, it must not be about mad people and their children, it can also be about depression, the level of moral decadence in the world today and so on.

Take a long walk down memory lane

One exceptional attribute which humans possess is the ability to experience and overcome difficult or ‘impossible’ situations and learn while doing so. Similarly, these situations which humans may face tend to vary from person to person.

Oftentimes, people may face these things and be unable to share the lessons learned with the world or, with other people. However, writers, on the other hand, are graced with the privilege of sharing their experiences both directly and indirectly.

In fact, most of the great stories which were curated by writers were pieces of their life experiences. What makes these stories really exceptional is the fact that the writer can be able to re-feel the feelings which were produced as a result of the particular incident that he/she may be willing to share.

For example, a writer who experienced suicidal depression as a result of a painful heartbreak will be able to describe these feelings in the rawest way possible. A story built on raw emotions is an ideal story because the reader(s) will also become deeply moved by these emotions as well.

Hence, if a writer is having trouble with a story, one of the best ways to gain inspiration is by telling a story based on a past happening. The upside to this hack is that the writer is given the luxury of twisting the story however he/she may see fit. It does not have to be the real story from start to finish.

Try a different mode of writing

A writer can become bored or lose interest while constructing a particular story. This could be because the person has written in that particular method up to the extent that it becomes less fascinating than it used to be. When this occurs, the best thing to do is to approach the story from an entirely different perspective.

This way, the interest of the writer will be fueled and the writer will be able to learn something new while doing so. For example, a crime writer who has written two different crime books from the first-person point of view can decide to add extra spice to the crime story and change the point of view to a second or third-person point of view instead of the first.

This way, the writer will be able to walk in the mental shoes of other characters in the story, not only that of the protagonist. The joyous feeling that the writer may get from this particular act alone can serve as a strong form of inspiration as well.