Inspiration can be elusive, abundant or even inherent.Some people manage to find inspiration in places other people might not even think to look. One of my favourite pieces of writing ever is a chapter in Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake about the ticking of a clock. Clearly, Peake had heard a clock and the time it senoted as passing and felt inspired to write the passage. We all encounter clocks in our everyday life and time is a very interesting subject, though I wouldn't call a clock a particularly inspiring object. Of course, all it takes to find it inspiring is a slight change of perspective and we're left with a fantastic piece of writing.
Elusive inspiration can be frustrating for any creative person. To be yearning to create something but to not find that spark anywhere is a bane some know all too well, but can inspiration be manufactured? Is manufactured inspiration even inspiration at all? I would argue that art breeds art, whatever medium one is using. An author might re-read their favourite book to make them write. A musician might listen to their favourite album. A film maker might watch their favourite film. It's by no means a sure fire way to make yourself want to go and create something, or even give you an idea, but it might just re-ignite the passion for the medium.
We all have the things that inspire us, but maybe we should all be looking a little further afield. I've always found music, films, books, and even video games equally inspiring. Obviously every medium has its limits, I can't accurately recreate a song just by writing it down, you might be able to read the notes, but the emotion wouldn't seep through. However, all can tell a story and show characters and we can all learn about the different developments these show.
So, next time you're feeling uninspired, look at a different medium. Be the director who reads books or the musician who plays video games. And me? I might just start writing about clocks.
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