What inspires you?

[Phoenix Wright]

Whatever it may be. What inspires you to do what you do? If you don't feel particularly inspired by anything, why do you think that is?

Personally, I'm inspired by physics--generally, knowing anything and everything there is to know about a physical system. The fact that we don't yet know how galaxies form exactly, or why the cosmological constant is 120 orders of magnitude larger than expected drives me to keep going. On smaller scales, I really enjoy melodysheep's cheesy/nerdy symphony of science series.

[amiabletemplar]

Generally, I find my inspiration comes in one of two forms.

1) A particular word, phrase, or metaphor comes to me, which I find deeply compelling. Such a thing does not happen often, but when it does, I usually produce something pretty good as a result. Often it's a matter of alliteration/assonance (e.g. "a softly-shifting, sand-filled hourglass") or a striking conceit that feels new to me ("to trust love's vow in frail but stronger speech").

2) I experience a thing--a sight, a smell, a texture--that sticks with me long after the initial stimulus is gone. For example, one time I was at a pumpkin patch and, for just a fleeting moment, I saw a man with the most intensely blue eyes I've ever seen. Blue so vivid you'd think he was Fremen. The experience didn't produce a specific impulse, but that visual of a slightly dark-complected (he was white, but very tanned) face with brilliantly blue eyes has stuck with me ever since--and I'm talking over a decade now.

Sometimes, the two intertwine; one time while taking the public transit train home from class, there was a particularly vivid sunset that evening, and I imagined the sun and moon like dancers, and the ember of day slowly turning cold, but pleasantly, gently. The image combined with the way of seeing it meant I banged out a poem, that I'm rather proud of now, in about the space of half an hour.

Edit:
And that's what I get for not reading the whole of the post in question. The above is my primary means of writing fiction (poetry or prose both). I find just about all topics of learning fascinating, so in the sense of being inspired to do something in general, rather than the specific case of writing creative fiction, it would probably be most accurate to say "anything goes." It's very difficult to find an academic subject that I can't quickly find a deeply interesting thread. Pattern recognition--which, I suppose, could be responsible for #1 above, recognizing a striking pattern--is a Big Thing for me. Similarly, suddenly breaking a pattern in an unexpected and profound way can also be hugely inspiring--which, I think, would explain #2.

So...yeah. I find joy in discovering a pattern I didn't previously know about, and in finding curious exceptions to patterns I already knew about.

Edited February 14, 2016 by amiabletemplar

[Life]

Musically, rap. There are many rappers who can weave stories and messages with their words and music. It's a form of art for the very best.

Pharoahe Monch (my current name) is an amazing example. He has a song in his 2011 album (W.A.R.) entitled Still Standing. He talks about his personal struggles with asthma that nearly killed him twice as a young child. But he compliments his story with uplifting soulful music and spins the narrative into being about overcoming difficulties, no matter what they are. Asthma is only his own personal demon.

It's beautiful to listen to.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Pharoahe Monch

[Djeets]

visual art & music, they are what triggers the chemicals in brain that make me strive to move toward what is beautiful and masterpiece. Its quiet simple but brutally effective.

science, especially in computer science and physics. So many things are still left undiscovered yet hundreds, thousands, millions of scientist are digging out those uncovered stuffs as we are speaking right now.

human in actuality, the more you aware that everyday people are engaging their life problems, struggles, passion, cravings in daily basis. the more you left to wonder if you would be left behind by the advent of the incoming rapid progress of changes every hour, minute, second.

that being said, i still slept over 10 hours a day in my college days

Edited February 16, 2016 by Swagger