Inspiration

Just wondering what other people do for inspiration if they hit a rough spot while writing. If you don't feel motivated to write, or you really don't know what to write about next, what do you do? I try to listen to music or read other things, but these only go so far. Any ideas?

Usually things come to me while watching movies, when I wake up, and when I go to bed. I never don't feel motivated to get ideas. *edit* forgot shower.

Usually there aren't things that really make a spark that give you ideas for writing, they just sort of come to you at random times. And as Gwen Stefani said "But when it does...its like magic! Its just that easy, and its just that hard."

I do the following:

1. Take a shower. No, seriously. Some of my best ideas come when I'm standing around under a nice, warm shower.

2. Take a walk. Sometimes, the only motivation I need to get writing or get over writer's block is an hour walk to get me away from being in one place for too long, get some fresh air in my lungs, and get my mind on other ideas.

3. Music always helps, but you've already mentioned that.

4. Free association. As in, get a notebook, get a pen, open to a blank page, and write or doodle everything that comes to mind. Even if it sounds really stupid or psychotic ("firetruck ice cream"), sometimes, just writing down completely random stuff gets some accidental ideas down.

Apparently, I'm one of the few people who doesn't force inspiration to come to them. When I hit a snag with my writing, I just toss the notebook aside and walk away. Sometimes, I'll feel an idea sneaking in, and I'll start writing again after a few days. Other times, it takes a few months for me to actually get back in the groove of things.

Which probably explains why I never finished anything. xD

Generally, being bored works wonders. If you just sit around without a writing tool around you, and with nothing else to occupy your mind, ideas will just spark out of the dust.

Heh. I wish I could hone my attention better. If I'm sitting around a writing instrument, I have nearly as much a chance of drawing something as writing something.

Anyways, I see what most of you are saying. I usually don't get great ideas unless I'm listening to a good piece of music or I'm at my job and bored out of my mind. I guess my brain just trys to occupy itself during those times, so my thoughts must sort themselves out then.

I guess I kinda have some sort of ADD, because I try to do too many things at once. For instance, I started my fic, and then I drew some things concerning my fic, and now I'm designing a robot for my senior project. I guess my real question should be whether any of you have discovered ways to re-align your train of thought to writing if you get sidetracked.

I usually just get inspiration whenever I'm thinking about something that may or may not have anything to with what I'm writing/planning to write about. I once thought up an idea for a fanfiction when I was thinking about evolution. I guess I'm with Hanako when I get new ideas, I don't try to come up with them. They just sort of form when I'm thinking about something different altogether.

Heh, I'm probably not the best person to ask about this since my creative process is ridiculously slow when it's not about an RP. If I keep trying to push it when I'm not in a writing mood I'll just get frustrated and start resenting what I've already written (Happened countless times already) so in an effort to save what little I manage to get written from the righteous fury of the backspace button I usually just put my writing aside for a while until inspiration strikes again. Like most of the others here, I do rely on music from time to time as well.

Also, for some peculiar reason my writing works best if I'm doing it in PC's 'advanced reply' box. Seriously, I have no idea why but for some reason nothing gets me into a writing mood quite like the reply box. Empty Word documents just freak my muse out, but I blame that on the crazy amount of essays I've had to write. Oh, and sometimes it helps to just sit down and type completely random things until I run out of them, though I think that method has already been mentioned here too. :3

I'm having the same problem as you so I may not be much help, but I always get my ideas when I'm in the shower, when I'm really tired/bored (mainly in school), listening to what other people talk about, or when I listen to music/watch TV/play video games.