A walk in the woods, a favorite song, a vivid dream. Any can be a good source of inspiration for a story. Inspiration can't be forced however. It works on its own time, on its own terms. Even if it means waking you up in the middle of the night with a great story idea, or suddenly popping one into your head as you're riding on the bus.
Maybe you see a house or building that becomes the inspiration for the location of a story. Or maybe, you're inspired by a song that you can't get out of your head to create a set of circumstances for the main character in your story.
A person you don't even know can inspire you. You may see someone as you're walking down the street or shopping at the grocery and think they seem like they could be a character for a story.
I love the feeling of being inspired. I love that inspiration works in mysterious ways. It gives you just enough to get the creative process going, then it's up to you to flesh out the details and make the story work.
Sometimes I like to just go looking for inspiration. To clear my head and go out for a walk and take pictures at different places. I think it's important to look for inspiration whenever and wherever you can. Whether it's a walk in the woods, at the art museum, along the shore, or just around town. You never know where it might find you.
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