One thing I’ve realized is that when it comes to finding inspiration and motivation I can either be my biggest champion or my own worst enemy. I can scroll through Tumblr for an hour and later whine about not having time to read or get any writing done, or I can tell myself that the story I want to read won’t get written unless I do it and then sit down and write.

Should I be writing every day? Yes, after all, practice makes perfect.

Is it always possible? No, and I shouldn’t let that bother me to the point where I stop writing out of guilt of never catching up or not being as prolific as Stephen King.

I’m not Stephen King; I’m me. And when I have time to write and I sit in front of the screen only to stare at it with a blank mind, I have a list of activities that rarely lets me down when I need to find the motivation and inspiration to write. (In no particular order.)

Get away from the screen.

Sometimes all it takes is a few minutes to restart your brain. Stand up, have a good stretch, and leave your workspace (couch, dining room table, office, whatever). Go to the kitchen and get a drink, water works best for me. Don’t chug it, just sip quietly at the sink or look out the window. I can’t tell you how often I’ve had one of those coveted “ah ha!” moments during these breaks.

Get outside!

If you have skin that burns after 2.2 seconds of sun exposure like I do, slather up with sunblock first, but getting out in the sun can feel amazing after being shut up inside. (Yes, in the winter there is the snow and cold to consider but I’m writing this in July with the sun shining brightly outside.) I like to hop in the car and go downtown to walk around. Fresh air, lots to look at, and the opportunity to people watch while the walk gets your blood pumping.

Take a nap.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, a 20-minute nap is the perfect amount to get you refreshed and productive. I know it seems counterproductive to sleep when you should be working, but believe me (and science!) it works. Remember to set an alarm – sleeping longer than 20 minutes can leave you feeling groggy when you wake up. Wake up, pour a glass of water to hydrate, and you’re ready to go!

Read, read, read.

Have a book languishing on your shelf that you keep meaning to crack open? Do it now! Pick up the book you’re in the middle of, grab one from the shelf that you’ve read so many times you know the page numbers of your favorite scene. Set a timer for 30 minutes and read. That’s long enough to scan through a few pages, get your brain interested, and then shocked by the timer to get back to work. You could also give yourself the goal of writing for an hour with the reward of another 30 minutes of reading. (Don’t let the time spent on your reward be longer than your work goal!) Reading in or outside of your preferred genre will help with style, voice, trends, and ideas. And then there are the books about writing, from how to find your voice to how to write a mystery novel. Reading is a win-win activity, really. It should be at the top of this list, but…

This is the one that I have a hard time with sometimes because when I want to read I feel like I should have hours to devote to it, but that’s why we have magazines! I love Writer’s Digest because no matter what I’m writing there is always an article or tip in every issue that can help. And it can be easier to close a magazine when the timer goes off than it is a book.

Chat with a friend (or family).

I’m so bad at this, but it always helps to clear my mind. Social graces are the first thing to fly out the window when many of us need to write, but who hasn’t listened to a friend or family member talk about their day or week and had an idea pop up? (I don’t video chat much. I pace when I talk on the phone, and tend to make anyone I’m having a vidchat with motion sick as I move around…but if that works for you, do it!)

Stream of consciousness writing.

Open a Word doc or Google doc, a notebook, grab a paper towel, whatever, and just start writing. List the groceries you need to pick up, outline a plan to rearrange your living room, have a conversation with yourself about why writing is sometimes so hard. Maybe you’ll end up writing a paragraph that will make editors weep, or maybe just yourself, but either way you will have written something and that’s what counts.

Have a cuppa.

I love tea. I have a very specific mug I use for my tea (that’s it in the header pic). I prefer Earl Grey, but am open to most flavors except the overly fruity kinds. This isn’t about health benefits – that’s not why I use it for inspiration. Here’s what you do: Put the kettle on, get out a mug and then pop in your favorite tea (bagged or loose). Listen to the noise of the kettle and just breathe. Pour the hot water, and inhale the aroma of the tea. Make the whole process A Moment. After the tea has steeped, fix as you like it, and carry the mug back to your workspace and get to work.

Consult your Ideas File.

Some writers don’t keep one and instead insist that if the idea is good enough to write about, it will stay with you until it’s ready. Some write the idea down and let it simmer on an index card in a recipe box until they need it again. I have notebooks and WIP files on my Google Drive and napkins with scribbles on them scattered about so I am not going to point fingers if you don’t have one specific place for your random sparks of brilliance, but I can say that my WIPs folder on the Gdrive gets looked at a lot when I am stuck for ideas. File cabinet, shoe box, index card file, or go digital with a specifically named folder – whatever works best for you. It can be like a lottery – close your eyes and pick something and then start writing.

Take a class.

You could be like me and go whole hog by jumping into a Master’s Degree program, or do what I did before I lost my mind: day classes! Check out the local community college or center, or the public library and see if they’re holding a lecture or class in (insert your interest here). Some are free, some not, but it can’t hurt to look and see what the offerings are. Does your main character know how to knit, but you haven’t a clue? Would you like to write a blog post about a local jewelry-maker but would prefer hands-on knowledge before the interview? Learning a new skill is never a waste of time, and you never know how it will inspire your writing.

Those are my biggies. Depending on my mood I might google “writing quotes” which is how I found my favorite motivational writing quote: “The scariest moment is always just before you start” from Stephen King. This could lead to a Google Spiral, so be careful. As a history buff, I love visiting museums for ideas or will look at the Smithsonian website, but it’s easy to get lost in research if an idea begins to percolate. Different things work for different moods.

I’ve never actually written all of these down before, and even now I can think of others, but these are definitely my go-to’s that have worked for me for years.

Where do YOU find writing inspiration and motivation? Leave a comment below!