Inspiration and the Creative Process

Directions: Read the following instructions carefully. You may take notes in your journal. Complete the assignments during period 3. During period 4, please move to the next room and await further instructions.  Remember to turn in your previous homework if you didn't turn it in last class!

Inspiration is often defined as "the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions." As writers and artists, we know when we have inspiration, and we certainly know when we are lacking it! 

While all artists seek inspiration, the job of a writer is not only to gain enough inspiration to write, but to share his or her inspiration with others. This is often done through character, plot, setting, theme, various literary devices, dialogue, and the diction that communicates ideas.

Here is what some writers have said to inspire us to write: 

• "Any [person] who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he’ll eventually make some kind of career for himself as writer." - Ray Bradbury
• "A blank piece of paper is God’s way of telling us how hard it to be God." - Sidney Sheldon
• "Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer." - Barbara Kingsolver
• "If you have other things in your life—family, friends, good productive day work—these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer." - David Brin
• "Most of the basic material a writer works with is acquired before the age of fifteen." - Willa Cather
• "Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good." - William Faulkner
• "Fiction is about stuff that’s screwed up." - Nancy Kress
• "Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up." - Jane Yolen

Inspiration is a gift as precious as gold. Sometimes you strike it rich, other times its absence makes you starve. As you move through this course, decide to find inspiration to try your best. Sometimes this will be easy. Sometimes this will be hard. If you ever feel like giving up, come back to this assignment and fill up your cup with inspiration.

How to Find Inspiration:

• Take a walk, get some fresh air or get out into nature when you are feeling stressed.
• Take a hot shower or bath. Find daily ways to relax.
• Get some sleep. Stress is more likely to occur when we are tired.
• Read a book. Watch a movie. Listen to a friend read a poem. The more we interact with the written word, the more inspiration we find to try it ourselves.
• Create a space for yourself where you can write.
• Enjoy silence. Sitting and breathing deeply in silence can help us relax.
• Interact with the arts: listen to music, dance, memorize a speech, doodle or paint, play a game.
• Find inspiration in the last place anyone might look for it: look for it in yourself!

Inspiration Resources Assignment:

For this assignment, please take a look at the website: Write Attitude. After taking a moment to watch the video, spend some time here now to do the following:

1. Find one inspirational quote that you like or that you can connect with.

• Write this quote as part of your assignment, and explain in a sentence or two why you chose it.
• Share the quote you chose with a neighbor and another student peer who you haven't talked to in a while. Write down the name of the persons you shared your quote with and write what those persons verbally said about the quote you chose.

2. Read and summarize one article from the drop down menu. Make sure to list the title and author of the article in your response.

After completing these two questions, submit them for class credit. After submitting your work, take a few minutes to consider this next question. IN YOUR JOURNAL/NOTEBOOK, please list, jot, or freewrite your answer to this question:

What inspires you to write?

When you have finished your list, keep it handy. The next time you need a reason to write or complete an assignment, refer to this journal entry. Good luck!

During period 4, we will go next door and read an article/handout and discuss the creative process.

HOMEWORK: Finish the article/summary if you didn't finish during class. If you are inspired, write a story, poem, scene, song lyric, article, ideas for writing in your journal. Try to write in your journal every day.