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I tend to get the most ideas on the way out the door heading to work…. then I’m rushing to write ‘em down so I don’t forget it.

Another thing you should do is more cardio. No, really. Not just as a holistic approach to wellness, though being fit is something we should all strive for and in the 1st world don’t often prioritize but because physicality is a key part of being a Renaissance Wo/Man. Something I think we, as aspiring authors, should try to be. Also because of what cardio does for the mind. Something about oxygen deprivation in the brain as blood is diverted for the aerobic functions and endorphin rushes or chemical imbalances in the brain during peak exertion. I don’t know the science but it can really get the gears turning, especially during slumps. Most of my ideas occur during runs, but swimming is also great. Sports are good but you tend to focus on the game more than when running, biking or swimming; where the mind is free to wander as your body is at work. I don’t just have an inspiration window when running, it’s a full on inspiration breach of muses and plot bunnies storming in with riot shields, battering rams and those breaching charges that blast through walls. Also, once you get your exercise done for the day, you have the rest of it to relax, recover and write while still feeling productive.

The happiest of birthdays to our beloved @pittwitch!

Makes sense. My job is very physical so I usually get a lot of ideas for progress in my fics while I’m neck deep in cat shit. Inopportune time to jot it down before I forget it tho… But still, it does help!

On a related note, here’s something I’ve started doing when I feel stuck or lack inspiration. I go through my entire list of stories (in alphabetical order) and try to do something to make progress on each one: write a couple of paragraphs, figure out a plot point, do a little research, etc. Worst case scenario, I make a little progress on all 20 stories. Best case, inspiration strikes when I’m partway through the list and I finish a whole story or chapter.

I think I would like to crack open all your skulls and steal your brains and smoosh them into mine. I’m working on one. ONE. One WIP. I can’t even wrap my head around working on a second at the same time. Soooo the obvious solution is brain thievery + bio-engineering? Hm, maybe I should think this through.

Huh, looks like I have 8 posted to the archive. I really should finish those. Most of them are anthology type works that are only loosely connected between chapters, so in theory I could stop at any time and declare them finished or add chapters later on. I have 5 unposted works in progress, a short list of plot bunnies, an original fantasy erotica I am developing to the side, a for fun sci fi series I may try to self publish one day, and an actual novel I want to traditionally publish in a couple decades when I finish it. Running multiple stories at once, I think, can actually be a good thing because it prevents you from getting bored or numb to a particular work. On the other hand, works written in proximity may end up being too similar. Which is where I am at now, trying to distinguish one work from the next. It doesn’t help that they are mostly challenges in the same format. My main issue its that writing for me is ultimately a hobby and I have other things I need to do. I’m also dissatisfied with my current level of work and feel like I am not improving enough, which doesn’t help my enthusiasm.

I’m glad we’re able to inspire!