Goodreads asked Michael Byars Lewis:

How do you get inspired to write?

Michael Byars Lewis This is a broad question so I'll try and tackle it appropriately. When starting a book, the enthusiasm comes from that germ of an idea that comes from . . . somewhere. It might be a news article, something I've experienced, or simply words someone says. Fleshing that out into a story is the exciting process. The inspiration in this phase for me is in the discovery process.

Getting inspiration for the daily grind (which isn't really a grind) is more complicated. For the most part, my inspiration comes from seeing what's next. The writing is the fun part, where my creativity gets exercised. I also work from an outline so there's the excitement of knowing where I'm going.

There are times when I'm totally unmotivated to write. Everyone experiences those. My recommendation is to write. Anything. A good technique I've used is to go back and review/edit what you did the day before. That often will get the creative juices flowing.

Bottom line . . . the more you write, the more you'll want to write!

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