How do I find the inspiration to write? It’s a question I often grapple with, especially when I feel like I don’t have the next part of my story lined up. I sometimes felt as though my writing was twisting and turning with fleeting sources of inspiration rather than being a consistent habit. So what was I doing wrong? It couldn’t be wrong to seek inspiration, right? Aren’t many writers and artists inspired when creating their best work?
Struggling with Inspiration
The truth is that you can run on inspiration, but a good writer doesn’t rely solely on it. Don’t get me wrong—when inspiration strikes, I ride that wave as far as I can before it fizzles out. However, in my early twenties, I often rode the train of inspiration straight to nirvana, only to find it leaving me just as quickly.
This was troubling. How could I be a writer if I wasn’t constantly inspired? I tried different tactics, like writing daily prompts, searching for inspiring quotes, and admiring beautiful artwork, but each was its own fount of inspiration. I rarely managed to continue a piece of work because I often had something else in mind when inspiration struck again—usually a completely different story.
In my mid-twenties, I tried to tackle this issue more seriously. I began doing long stretches of inspiration-fueled writing on weekends—sometimes writing for up to six hours and forgetting essential things like eating, drinking, and spending time with family. I believed that if I wanted to be a writer, I needed to make sacrifices. If those sacrifices involved these intense writing sessions, so be it! I would hydrate and hang out with my family the next day. But until then, I felt trapped in these marathon writing sessions.
Struggling for a Purpose or Just Insanity?
While I made some progress with these long sessions, it came at a great cost. My spouse was not thrilled about my neglect of basic self-care, and I often shut myself off for those four- to six-hour stretches. Even though I could show him progress, I couldn’t show him anything complete. After months of using this writing style, I still faced the same problem: I was making headway in storyboarding, but once the inspiration wore off, I didn’t know how to pick it back up again. I had plenty of story ideas but little follow-through to turn them into complete narratives.
Realizing this left me heartbroken, especially since I knew this method wasn’t sustainable. I became cranky toward my spouse and had little time to spend with my pets. I thought I was paying the price of being a starving writer, but I was just pushing forward with the same mindset—that I needed inspiration—and hoping it would eventually work.
Then I remembered one of my spouse’s favorite quotes (attributed to Einstein): “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” I realized I wasn’t behaving like a struggling author—I was hitting my head against a wall and expecting different outcomes. I was unrealistic about how far inspiration could carry me.
Finding a New Way to Write
Those words echoed in my mind for a while, prompting me to search the web. I had taken some formal English and Journalism classes, but nothing specifically focused on creative writing. However, when I searched the web, I was surprised by the font of knowledge that I found!
The first resource was free: The Plot Dot by Derek Murphy. It outlined in a simple way (particularly aimed at fantasy but applicable to all genres) how a main character’s goals and objectives are paced throughout a book. I had a general understanding of the three-act and seven-point structures, but I had always viewed them in relation to plays and theater, not books. But The Plot Dot combined several of these into a shorthand guide for writing a book (typically following the hero’s journey). It was the easiest material I had ever encountered, so I took the information and hit the ground running. The Plot Dot provided me with a general formula, which I noticed echoed more and more in the books I read, and I learned how to outline using those steps.
But even though I made immense progress toward my goals, I kept getting stuck. I could craft the critical scenes, but I struggled to connect them into one narrative—a frustrating task compared to creating the pivotal moments that mark approximately every 12.5% of a novel (if you’re following The Plot Dot and similar models). It was then that I discovered two books, accessible through my Kindle Unlimited subscription (because I am a book nerd): The Secret to Creating Character Arcs by John S. Warner and Book Craft by Derek Murphy.
I’m not saying these books are the best for everyone—in fact, if you’re not vibing with a recommendation, there are countless resources about plotting out there. But these were the right books for me. They helped me understand not only the progression of plot points but also character arcs. Both provided numerous ideas to enhance my writing practice—something I desperately needed.
Overall, those books helped me develop my own writing practice. I took what resonated with me and left behind what didn’t feel right. Now, I’m on a year-long challenge, My Year Quest, to refine my writing, routine, and structure for both long and short stories.
Inspiration is Still a Great Source for Writing… But It Shouldn’t Be the Only One
Something I won’t forget is Derek Murphy’s perspective on inspiration. He made an important point that I’ll always keep in mind: while inspiration is fantastic, you need a framework to fall back on when that inspiration wanes.
In Book Craft, Murphy uses vivid imagery to convey his message, which I appreciated greatly. He describes writing a book as akin to performing magic, distinguishing between two types: “The first is ritualistic, formulaic, dependable, safe. It takes years of training to learn the exact steps and procedures.” He contrasts this with the second type—“explosive magic. Unrestrained, wild, and innate.” Through this imagery, I finally understood the difference between writing from inspiration, the “explosive, wild magic,” and writing from craft, the “ritualistic, formulaic, dependable, safe” magic. While I wasn’t wrong to harness “wild magic” in my writing, I needed to explore more forms of magic; I needed to hone my writing craft. Then, I could write both when inspiration struck and when it didn’t.
Book Craft forever changed how I approach writing. By following Murphy’s advice, I’ve developed my own writing practice and am completing significantly more stories than ever before. I’m learning more about writing, editing, and my own preferences as I continue my journey month by month for My Year Quest. Outside of recommending the book itself, the best piece of advice I can share is this: inspiration is wonderful, but make sure you have a framework to fall back on when inspiration inevitably fades. Inspiration is awe-inspiring… but it’s not built to last. Create a solid framework so that when inspiration diminishes, your writing remains constant.
Become an Author in a Way That Works Best for You
If you’ve never picked up a book on plotting, similar to how I first started, I recommend finding a resource that resonates with you—whether it’s The Plot Dot or something more in-depth, like the Snowflake Method. These resources should aim to help you identify what works for your story structure and then focus on developing your character arcs.
Through my own journey, I realized that when I invested time in creating my characters and their story arcs (often separate from the plot arc), the stories shaped themselves more easily. It’s never effortless, but I don’t need those grueling writing marathons anymore. Some days, I write for 20 minutes or less; on others, I write for longer. Most importantly, my life no longer revolves around chasing inspiration—I can leave scenes half-finished with the confidence that I can return to them later. And outside of writing, I can live the life I want.
So, if you’re a struggling writer, pursue your passion but ensure you’re not repeating the same patterns. Try new methods and see if they help you become the type of writer you aspire to be. Don’t get bogged down by the same struggles day after day. I’m not saying you won’t face challenges as a writer, but you shouldn’t struggle in the same way repeatedly.
As for me, I now strive for constant improvement so that what made writing difficult yesterday isn’t the same as what challenges me today. It’s not easy, and I don’t always find the fixes I want. But if I keep searching for new approaches, I’m confident it will improve my writing habits and help me on my writing journey.
Wishing everyone the best of luck on their writing journey,
B.R. Quinn
B.R. Quinn 