So, you want to write poetry? There is nothing more noble, nothing more fulfilling and at the same time nothing more difficult than staring at an empty screen or paper. But where does writing inspiration come from?

How do writers do it? The truth is, most of them started in exactly the same place you are now. Everybody looks at a blank page, and everybody wonders what to write next, or even how to start. Whether you are after a poem or a story, the secret is the same: inspiration is already everywhere around you. The trick is learning to keep your creative eyes open and notice the moments that happen throughout your day.

The writer’s toolkit

Writing is very much like eating an elephant: you just start with one bite, and you keep on going. It might seem difficult, but if you’re determined, you can do it. It works for children, and it works for adults, too.

You if you are stuck, you can try using a prompt. This site has many word prompts as well as a photo and a museum image prompt.

Choose your weapon: the tools of the trade

Most of us have a phone in our pockets all day. The Notes app is great for dictation. When a burst of inspiration hits, you are there to catch it before it fades. It is almost guaranteed that you will forget if not written down, and that is doubly true for those wonderful ideas that hit in the middle of the night.

The Zen of dictation

Being able to dictate means you can create as fast as you can think. The first pass can be disjointed, but dictation technology is becoming so accurate that it is mind-blowing. There is a “zen” to dictation, dictation takes the strain off your arms and eyes, leaving you with a block of text to mold later.

It does take practice. When you get to a point where you don’t know what to say, force yourself to be quiet. You don’t have to fill the empty space with noise. Just slow your mind, wait, and know it will be okay. After all, if you can speak eloquently, you are half-way there.

The classic notebook

If you are the type of person who needs the physical sensation of writing on paper, get a small stenographer’s pad or a classic Moleskine notebook. It is the perfect writing utensil to carry throughout your day. The moment inspiration hits you, scribble it down before it fades.

Many poets swear by the same habit. When a poetic moment strikes, maybe an overheard conversation, a beautiful sunset, or just an interesting thought, capture it immediately. If you don’t write it down, there is a good chance you will forget that perfect line or image later. This is doubly true of the poem or story that arrives in the middle of the night. No matter how tired you are, struggle out of bed and write it down, or it will be gone by morning.

Pro tip: when time permits, work through specific poetry prompts. You might not always create your final masterpiece, but the discipline of writing every day builds your creative stamina. Try #vss365, it has a wonderful active community.

Finding inspiration in the wild

So, what do you write about?

As you go about your day, take the time to look at the people around you. Poems and stories come from what you see. Everybody has an interesting story if you look close enough. Spend an hour in a busy place like a coffee shop or a park, watch the people around you and imagine their lives, their stories, and their secrets. These observations are rich material for character-driven work.

Try this exercise: next time you are in a grocery store, look at the line of people.

• Where are they going?
• What conflict are they living with?
• What nefarious thoughts might be hiding behind that polite smile?

The most ordinary moments often make the most extraordinary work. That conversation with a cashier, the light hitting your kitchen table, or the feeling of putting on warm socks, these small, human moments are where the most relatable writing lives.

Poetry in nature

Nature has been inspiring poets for thousands of years. Take a walk through a park, a forest, or along the water. Pay attention to the sights, sounds, and smells around you. That morning mist, the way light filters through leaves, or the sound of waves against rocks, each sensory experience can become the seed of a poem.

Mine your life for material

Your personal life is one of the richest sources of material you will ever find. Happy moments, sad moments, defining moments, they all have poetic potential. Your feelings and life events can inspire authentic, powerful writing that resonates with readers because it comes from a real place.

Marry those observations with your own experience. Every one of us has lived something no one else has lived, and only we can fill in those blanks. Ask yourself: how can I extrapolate my own life story and fit it into what is happening around me?

Be a poet-historian

Poets often serve as future historians, capturing the spirit and emotions of their times. Read a newspaper or watch current events unfold. Social issues, global happenings, and the way world events make you feel can inspire some of the most relevant and urgent poetry of our time.

Beating writer’s block

If, despite all the above, you are struck with writer’s block, stop. Take a break and walk around. All is not lost, inspiration comes and goes in waves.

Many writers, long before we had the digital tools of today, would take a walk to clear their minds and plot their work. It is the movement of the body that awakens the brain and allows your thoughts to wander in new directions.

Feed your brain

You can also break the monotony by forcing yourself out of your desk to learn new things. Read the news, learn how to paint, or visit a museum.

Stephen King, makes the point that writers must “read, read, read.”

• It keeps you in touch with trends. (We all hope to make a little money with our writing, after all.)
• It gives you insight. You see how other writers handle line, image, and pacing.
• It sparks inspiration. Watching TV shows and movies counts, too, observe how dialogue drives the action.

Reading other poets is one of the best ways to get your creative juices flowing. Analyze their style, themes, and structure to spark your own ideas. Don’t worry about copying, exposure to great work naturally influences and improves your own writing.

Explore other art forms

Poetry does not exist in a vacuum, and all the arts can inspire each other.

• Visit an art museum: really look at the paintings.
• Listen to music: pay attention to the rhythm and how it makes you feel.
• Read a novel: let the story transport you.

The emotions these experiences evoke can easily become the subject of your next poem. When a poem responds directly to a work of art, it is called ekphrastic poetry.

The “driving” theory

Try listening to music on a car ride. There is a meditative quality to driving. It is muscle memory, it takes time, but time runs differently in a car. My theory is that because our attention is on the road, our subconscious mind is free to contemplate predicaments and plot holes. There is a quiet movement when you drive that unlocks creativity.

The mechanics of starting

A great way to start is by asking the question: “what if?”

People don’t read to see what they know will happen; they read to find out what might happen. They aren’t curious about the path they are on; they are curious about the detour.

• What if the man fell in love while engaged to someone else?
• What happened next?

Trust that your natural drive to observe human nature is enough to create a twist on the path.

The 300-word challenge

Finally, just telling yourself that you are going to sit down and do it is the best way to start. Do not procrastinate.

Sit down and say: “I am going to write 300 words before I stand up.”

Just start writing. It might not be good. You might throw it away in the end. But you might surprise yourself with a gem of a poem. Repeat this every day. Decide to write, and you will become a writer.

Start your inspiration hunt today

Inspiration is not something you wait for, it is something you actively seek out. So grab that notebook, take that walk, or simply start paying closer attention to the world around you. Your next poem might be hiding in the most unexpected place, just waiting for you to notice it.

The writer’s toolkit

When you have an idea but the scene won’t come to life, the Writer’s Toolkit generates random elements to unstick you. It works with simple stories and micro-fiction as well as poetry.

Use the Details tab for sensory scene-setting; color, weather, texture, sound, smell, object. Names gives you the character name, sensory gives you specific physical details, atmosphere sets tone and mood. The tropes option gives you common genre blocks to keep in mind and use as desired.