My sun room beckons as a perfectly lovely place to read a newly released teaching book. I finish the first section of the book and move on to part two. Suddenly, a completely unrelated thought enters my mind. A thought that is more of a story idea, really, and along with this idea I feel a sense of urgency to do something with it. I recognize this. It is inspiration’s signature calling card. I need to answer the call.
I leave my book open and go to the notebook dedicated to capturing these ideas when they visit me. I know if I ignore it and continue with what I am doing, the idea will completely leave me. I grab a pen, open to a clean page, and begin writing.
Sometimes when this happens, I write a lot. Other times, I only write a small amount. Quantity does not matter as much as simply writing whatever it is that inspiration sees fit to bring to me.
At times, I walk away from these episodes puzzled, because what I have written makes absolutely no sense. I have learned, though, that if I wait long enough, inspiration will add to it or the pieces I have written here and there will begin to fit together in some way.
Elizabeth Gilbert, in her book Big Magic, says inspiration’s ideas are like “disembodied, energetic life forms” which she says are “driven to be made manifest.” All I know is that it does not happen all of the time. I spend many writing sessions staring at blank pages. However, when inspiration does call, I have learned it is best to answer it and give it my undivided attention.
She knows what she wants, nothing more, nothing less. She does not allow her initial feeling of frustration to derail her from the task at hand. I admire her clear focus and singular determination.
