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Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing - Literature - Nairaland

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Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Divepen1(m): 7:55am On Jan 18, 2016
Inspiration is very often the result of
habit, of getting into a rhythm of work,
and of setting yourself goals of how
much and about what you wish to write
each day. Oddly enough, the
determination that you will finish a
particular piece of work is a great source
of inspiration. So set yourself a realistic
goal each time you sit down to write.
Find out how much you are comfortable
writing each day. Achieve that. Then
extend it and try to double your output.
Remember: decide where you’re going
before you set out. If you end up
somewhere else, simply ask: do you
mind? It might be a good thing to have
strayed from the path. Assess this once
the work is done.
Don’t wait until you have the perfect first
line. In practice, it often transpires that
perfect first lines no longer fit with the
story once it’s written out. Instead, try to
think of your opening line as being
simply like a doorway that you must pass
through to get into the ‘room’ of your
story. The doorway is much less
important than what’s inside the room –
focus on that. If you find yourself ‘seeing
the whole story at once’, and you’re
unsure where to begin, concentrate on
one particular detail and start there.
Example: You want to write about a
young man and his girlfriend. He’s just
realised he’s in love with her, and is
going to say so, but you think that having
him just saying ‘I love you’ will sound a
bit flat. So, think about how else you
could approach it. You could:
begin with him trying to decide
which shirt to wear
begin when he’s stuck in
conversation with someone else,
and can’t get away. He has
something important to say, and yet
a friend is talking to him about
football
begin after the actual moment of
him telling her ‘I love you’
tell it from someone else’s point of
view – for example, one of the
boy’s friends, overhearing him, or
the girlfriend herself.
In this way, focusing on an apparently
‘irrelevant’ detail might be the perfect
way in to your story:
a plane flying overhead as he
speaks, drowning out his words
a piece of lettuce stuck between
her teeth that makes him smile
a gang of schoolchildren who loiter
close by, making him self-
conscious.
Peripheral details like this can have the
effect of making the scene seem more
believable: real life is full of such details
and delays, obstructions to the main
story unfolding.
If you’re still unsure about how to begin,
surprise yourself – approach your story
from a different angle. Or surprise your
story – make a particular detail appear
distinctive. Or start your story randomly,
at a point that you don’t think is
important. It might turn out to be crucial.
Remember: once you’ve reached the end,
you can always go back and ‘add on’ or
improve your beginning.



https://litehelp./2016/01/18/why-you-shouldnt-wait-to-be-inspired-before-writing/

26 Likes 5 Shares

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Perfecter4real(m): 8:10am On Jan 18, 2016
wow! thanks for this post, have learnt alot from it.

1 Like

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Divepen1(m): 10:14pm On Jan 18, 2016
Perfecter4real:
wow! thanks for this post, have learnt alot from it.
You're welcome

1 Like

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Profkomolafe(m): 10:20am On Jan 19, 2016
Nice one. really Inspiring.... Continue on the lecture pls

1 Like

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by RemenZack(f): 10:48am On Jan 20, 2016
Thanks for the Tips
And do follow back. Thank you.

1 Like

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Divepen1(m): 10:54am On Jan 20, 2016
RemenZack:
Thanks for the Tips And do follow back. Thank you.
Follow ko... in fact I'm following immediately

2 Likes

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by 14teenK: 1:20pm On Jan 21, 2016
Nice write up...have this idea on my head, that I would love to put to book....I still find it hard on the perfect way to start

1 Like

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Greenlady: 2:02pm On Jan 21, 2016
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1 Like

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by reverendfather: 7:05am On Jun 08, 2016
op I know your type; always beating around the bush, your topic reads a 'why' while your context descants on the 'how to' .

nice read BTW.

2 Likes

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by looseweight: 7:05am On Jun 08, 2016
Let me read first
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by shazzar01: 7:06am On Jun 08, 2016
Some of our writer's need to see this...they are always too predictable

1 Like

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by hottathanfire(m): 7:08am On Jun 08, 2016
I get inspired by every feelings, and whenever I am in the bathroom OMG!!! It's always a flood of inspiration but VERY lazy that I tagged myself i-lazy
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Sexytemi(f): 7:09am On Jun 08, 2016
Hmmm, okay...

But

Its my Birthday!!!!!!!!!!....just so happy and grateful to God.smileysmileysmiley

4 Likes

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by vickertony(m): 7:09am On Jun 08, 2016
interesting!
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Nobody: 7:09am On Jun 08, 2016
Nice post. Mine comes when am close to nature. The inspiration that flows from the mountain, trees, the birds around, the soothing air. They are just terrific.

1 Like

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by johnemeka(m): 7:11am On Jun 08, 2016
Good
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Justicealh3(m): 7:18am On Jun 08, 2016
This one don epp who
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Ptoocool(m): 7:23am On Jun 08, 2016
thanks OP
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by phetto(m): 7:28am On Jun 08, 2016
NICE ONE OP
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by bimbod(m): 7:28am On Jun 08, 2016
Nice One
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by ademega(m): 7:37am On Jun 08, 2016
let me read finish
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by spartan4christ: 7:51am On Jun 08, 2016
Nice job brov
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by kingphilip(m): 8:14am On Jun 08, 2016
So inspiring a piece and I really appreciate this

This should help me in my quest to begin my writing

Please do chat me up boss.. Or gimme ur whatsapp digits
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Nnachuka(m): 8:16am On Jun 08, 2016
As I poet i encounter the same as well, thank you.
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Omotayor123(f): 8:25am On Jun 08, 2016
Thanks dear... Most times I just lost the interest to write.. Even though I have 1001 stories and idea. I feel too lazy to put them down.
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Koleman(m): 8:49am On Jun 08, 2016
nice one.. learnt something new today...
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by ournaijablog(f): 9:10am On Jun 08, 2016
nah I totally disagree mehn a writeup without inspiration is like writing with no passion, something gotta motivate me mehn for real, you know why most writers write great books only twice or thrice in their lives? cos it gotta be perfect they make research and take their time and get inspired by their surroundinds. look at most of the writters on here do they write everyday? Nah cos its not easy to pen than words, sometimes I get an idea to write something but as soon as I pick uo my laptop I don't even know how to construct the first sentence......A good or bad inspiration is the key to a great wrietup

1 Like

Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by professore(m): 9:35am On Jun 08, 2016
Peripheral details like this can have the effect of making the scene more believable,I like that part.
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Nobody: 11:00am On Jun 08, 2016
It is as if you wrote this piece for me. I am a rapper, actually, and I have this issue of what line to start with whenever I am about to begin a verse. The first line takes so long but after that, the rest become an easy ride.
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by AndyAustin(m): 11:02am On Jun 08, 2016
You're good. Nice one.
Re: Why You Shouldn't Wait To Be Inspired Before Writing by Herapal(m): 11:20am On Jun 08, 2016
Good. Now I'll leave the writer's block.

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