share-your-bright-ideasFor today’s Question of the Week, we’re talking inspiration – writing inspiration to be exact.

Where do you get your best writing ideas?

Share your sources of inspiration below!

Facebook friend Andrea Baumann finds ideas skimming Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She says “It’s a great way to see what others are saying and commenting on.”

Kerri Karvetski  says, “Packaged goods (not kidding) like shampoo. Movies (Incredibles has inspired me on more than one occasion – “No capes!”) and music lyrics. And I have a massive swipe file from which I beg, borrow and steal every week.”

Nancy E. Schwartz says, “Reading the news, and other non-nonprofit and non-marketing stuff. Always thinking on the connections.”

When we’ve asked this question before, many of people said they get their best ideas at night right before they fall asleep or when they were driving.

Here are a few of other sources our friends use to find great ideas:

  • Cleaning.
  • Usually at night just before I go to sleep or after I go to sleep, so I have a pen and paper by my bed and force myself to write it down in the night.
  • Going to a bookstore and looking at the magazine rack…what is being used to communicate/connect with the demographic I’m writing to… what images, words, etc are they using.
  • By brainstorming out loud with a coworker.
  • When I’m commuting on my bike. Ironically, since I work at home a lot, I sometimes don’t *need* to go anywhere—but I do *need* to bike in order to keep my ideas fresh!
  • Drying my hair.
  • Usually riding in the car when I don’t have a notebook.
  • Making something with my hands – ceramics, sewing, etc.
  • When I hear the same questions asked multiple times, I know it’s time to write about it.

If you dread writer’s block, you should sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts Email. We promise at least 10 prompts to get you thinking about what you can write about. Nearly 5,000 nonprofits have signed up already!

Your turn! Share your best places to pick up great writing ideas…

Published On: June 22, 2015|Categories: Writing Skills and Content|