So I had some cabbage, beans and lentils, and then some potatoes. What do I do?

I make a meal that might be somewhat of a national dish for some of the local villages in one of the main kingdoms. And now? I plan to have a scene where the two characters are eating it over firelight.

The point of this? Sometimes it's hard to get inspiration from sitting in front of a blank page, and that's okay. So what can you do? Do you have music you love, food you enjoy, or art that always inspires you? Why not start there, and ask what if questions along the way.

Just remember to take a walk or exercise, even, if that also helps. Or, if you need, try finding certain types of meditation. Meditation is extremely versatile, but here's a trick I use to get my imagination going ▼ .

Imagine your inspiration is a ball at the top of a hill. Sometimes, as some science states, it takes a shove to get the inspiration going down the hill. You have a lot of potential energy, but you need something to turn it into kinetic energy. But, whatever it takes to get the ball going down the hill will be the most important element of starting strong.

Also? You often hear experienced authors say that motivation is garbage, and there's some truth. Sometimes it's hard to notice the creative energy inside you when you're standing still. But also? Motivation and discipline can be like peanut butter and jelly during NaNo. And this is why I give the following advice.

Write what you are passionate about. Include story elements in your story that excite you. Are there certain tropes you can't get enough of lately? Are there any character arcs that are especially satisfying for you lately? Take inspiration from it, cultivate it, and create something you can't stop talking about. I give this advice because that's how I obtained such a level of success in previous years. It wasn't motivation or discipline, it was both. And where and how you find that balance is up to you, and it starts with asking "what if" questions.

You've got this.

Anders