Goodreads asked Cate Lawley:

How do you get inspired to write?

Cate Lawley Sit down and do it = ) If I waited for inspiration, I'd write less. A lot less. When inspiration strikes--in the form of conversation snips, character names, story ideas, or series concepts--I write them down, but mostly I write based on a schedule.
When I'm not feeling the sweetness of writerly love, I plant my bum and make myself write for a certain period of time. If I'm not a roll after the allocated time has elapsed, I stop and do something else. And then rinse and repeat.

But I've spoken with a lot of writers, and many have different recommendations. You have to find what works for you. A few that have worked for myself and others:
-Pick your most productive hours in the day and always schedule time to write at that time of day. If you don't have the luxury of setting your own schedule, then at least schedule the time--preferably when the fewest distractions are present.
-Write to a deadline. Some people work better under pressure.
-Create a "starting to write" ritual. Prepare coffee, clean off desk, retrieve laptop from recesses of house, dance a lucky jig, write. Or, you know, whatever works. But do the same thing over and over so your writer brain starts to kick in when you follow those steps.
-Pick stories you actually want to tell.

Most importantly, don't wait for inspiration. Hunt it down, sucker punch it, and then sit on it so it doesn't run away.

Best of luck!
Cate

flag