Waiting for Inspiration

A member of our writing class asked me recently whether I waited till I was inspired before writing.

I think this is one of the greatest misconceptions, that writers come over all creative occasionally. There’s this belief that creativity is a mystical process that mysteriously comes upon one and propels one, against all will, to sit down and write with beauty and power.

Well, if you’re waiting for the feeling to come upon you, chances are you haven’t written anything very much. Writing is scary. If you wrote well yesterday, you’ll scared you won’t write well today. And if you haven’t written for a while, you’ll be terrified of coming face to face with your own talent – or lack of it.

In those circumstances, it’s so much easier to persuade yourself that there’s something else extremely urgent that absolutely has to be done. Even tidying the linen cupboard suddenly takes on pressing importance.

Almost without exception, successful writers give discipline as one of the most qualities for a writer to develop. No-one finds discipline easy … most of us have to resort to little tricks.

I am superstitious, but when I really consider it, I suppose my little superstitions are an aid to discipline. I only ever write in the same pair of pants. When I’m wearing them, I can’t check my email, or resort to any other procrastinating tactics.

Before I can check my e-mail, I have to get up, change my pants, walk back … you can see how a quick glance at my inbox can lose its appeal.

Many writers force themselves to sit down at 8am and don’t allow themselves to get up again until 5pm. (Or, if they only have a couple of hours, they may sit down at 5am and get up again at 7am.) It’s a job, they say, and should be treated as such.

Other writers reward themselves. I’m a great believer in reward. I’ve heard of one writer who writes till 2pm every day – and then opens a bottle of champagne. But then he’s extremely rich and famous and can do as he pleases.

It is true that, when your writing begins to flow, it can feel magical and inspired. But that comes with the writing. It doesn’t tend to come upon one, or if it does, it tends to be at inconvenient moments – when you’re about to go out or just before you fall asleep.