Writers aren’t always inspired artists with words spilling from their fingertips to paint an imaginary world in a thousand and one shades.

Correction.

Writers are rarely inspired artists with words that just flow. We have the picture in our head, but the word part is a bit more difficult.

But what about those times when we can’t even see the picture clearly?

Have you ever had moments or days or weeks or months where you lacked inspiration? Some part of you still wanted to write but there was just…nothing.

At all.

It’s a thing. It happens. But it doesn’t have to last.

1. Identify why you aren’t inspired.

We’re finite humans. If most of our brainpower is going towards school or work or running a house, it makes sense that we have no energy to devote towards writing, let alone the inspiration and imagination part of it.

Maybe it’s stress. Maybe it’s interruptions. Maybe you have all the time in the world and end up staring out the window. You might simply be exhausted and need a break.

You may or may not be able to identify why you aren’t inspired. If you can, however, you’re halfway down the road to solving your problem. Assuming you take steps to solve it.

2. Carve out time for inspiration.

Regardless of if you identified why you aren’t inspired or not, you’re going to need time.

This looks different for everyone. Some of us manage an hour or two a day. Some of us can only block out an hour a week.

It doesn’t matter. Set aside time for your craft.

Hold that time as precious and don’t do anything else. Don’t check your phone. Don’t scroll through social media. Don’t get lost in the web of YouTube videos.

Spend that time being creative. Maybe it’s working on a project. Maybe it’s flash fiction about that minor character who’s the only one you like. Maybe you’re tinkering with themes.

It doesn’t matter.

Sometimes we get inspiration from others. But sometimes we have to make it ourselves, get back into writing, and the inspiration follows.

3. Look outward for inspiration.

If your brain feels completely dead, take some of the time you’ve blocked out for writing and use it to search out inspiration to copy.

It’s surrounding you, I promise.

Read books you love and think about why you like them so much.

Scroll through Pinterest boards for writing prompts.

Watch YouTube lyric videos that mesh lyrics with movie or video game clips.

Sit in a park and watch people.

Create folders and files for all this information. Save it to reference later and watch your imagination and the thrill of writing unfold.

4. Write.

If you have absolutely nothing to write, then start copying a favorite story to learn what you can from it.

If you do have something to write, then write it. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t even have to be good to start with. It simply has to be written.

Writing is a passion, yes. It’s also a choice.

We chose to write, whether we feel like it or not. Because sometimes we don’t and do you know what?

That’s okay. It’s not us doing something wrong. It’s just life.

But just because we don’t always feel inspired doesn’t mean we have to stop writing.

Inspiration is always there. We just have to find it.

Looking for inspiration of your own? Check out my Pinterest boards, filled with years of collected pictures! Pick one and start writing.