Ifeoluwatolani Omotola shares her technique for getting in the mood to write…
I’m going to start off by saying I love writing (obviously), I love the finished product, the sense of pride it gives me, the exhilaration of the writing process whereby it is my ideas on the page (or screen), with the possibility that others just might read it. Any writer worth their salt would probably tell you that there is more to writing than just talent. Dedication, perseverance and most of all inspiration are key, even the most talented people need something to get their creative juices flowing.
Different people have different writing styles and approaches. Some people prefer to write in absolute silence whereby even the slightest noise can snap them out of their efforts. I am not one of those people, as anyone who knows me can vouch, I find a certain level of chaos conducive, but maybe that’s just me. Some of my friends find that taking themselves out of the situation or a change of scenery the best way to get inspired, be it a walk outside, reading a book or just a break doing something non-committal like watching television. However as someone who honestly should be given an award for procrastination this has never worked for me, sometimes a 30 minute break from writing turns into a two week one (no wonder I never get anything done)!
Another option if you’re not one for silence is writing with music on. Sometimes a little bit of background noise, be it some Rihanna or even Disney channel, can be the best thing to keep you interested and focused. Also, forgive the cliché but life itself can be a huge source of inspiration, the day to day happenings in our lives, family, friends, even the general beauty of our surroundings can sometimes lead to outpourings of emotion that can only be best immortalised in words. I find that my work is more meaningful and easier when I’m feeling emotional, be it angry, sad or in love; poetry especially is almost effortless to write when feeling highly emotive.
Those who don’t have any desire or affinity for writing and therefore feel that this entire article does not apply to them should realise that being a writer and even more, the benefit of finding ones inspiration is not limited to what you might think. Who amongst us doesn’t need a little bit of inspiration when we’re staring at a blank screen at two in the morning for an essay that’s due in a few hours? Whatever inspires you, be it love, music or even a brisk walk hold on to it because you sure will need it in this crazy world of ours that we call university where we are expected to churn out essays and courseworks monthly. For all our hardcore would be authors out there, all my support for NaNoWriMo.
Ifeoluwatolani Omotola
exeposedev 