Oh, Inspiration!

Sometimes you've gotta hide and let inspiration find you.

Hiya, Friends!  You know, I don't always know what I'm gonna write about on this blog when I sit down to it.  I don't.  People ask me where I get my ideas, and sometimes, I just don't know what to tell 'em. 

Sometimes, the ideas just run out.  That's what happened to me last February.  I went and made sucha big deal about this blog on my Christmas cards last year, and then ended up fizzling out.  For a while, it seemed like this was gonna be "The Monthly Zoe," or "The Occasional Zoe."  But in May, I got back on track, and in September, I pledged for you a new blog post every day for the next year. 

I missed November First, the day after Halloween, just because Halloween was so much fun for me that I needed a day to rest and collect my thoughts, and I couldn't make my 6 AM deadline. 

Sometimes I find inspiration in a cuppa Goldfish crackers!

It brings up the issue of Creativity and the Writing Toddler.  How to make it happen?  How do I find something to write about every day?  How will I prevent myself from running outta ideas like I did last Winter?

Well, I don't know, Friends.  I'm not gonna lie.  Some days, it's easier to find things to talk about with you than it is on other days.  Some days, I sit and stare at my computer, trying to make inspiration come to me.  Other days, I sit down, and can write and write and write.

I think what I've learned in the last year, is that I've gotta go with the inspiration flow.  If I'm havin' a good day at the writin' desk, I go with it.  I'll write as many posts as I can before the inspiration goes out, or before naptime.

Stupid naptime. 

Sometimes, I've gotta read in order to write!

It makes it a lot easier to deal with the days when I don't have any inspiration, if I've got a couple-three days of posts written up ahead of time.  It really does, Friends.

Have you ever noticed that things are easier to do when you don't really hafta do 'em?  When you're not under pressure to make your 6 AM deadline?

That's knowledge I didn't have this time last year.

Also, when I find myself stuck, or disinterested in writin' at the moment, I read.  That's right.  To be a good writer, you've gotta be a good reader.  Nothing sparks the imagination like readin' a good book.  I love The Berenstain Bears, Curious George, the Julius books, Corduroy, and any of my Dr. Seuss books I have.  But I also have a new book I love to read right before naptime: I Took the Moon for a Walk.  I love the moon.  It just fascinates me, and that book gets me into a good place for both naptime and leaving the light on for inspiration.

And as much as I dislike naptime, I do recognize that if I'm not well-rested, I'm not gonna be in a good place for inspiration to come visit me so I can write for you on this blog.  So, I'm tryin' to find silver linings in things, and naptime is one of those things.  My silver lining is that naptime lets me put some raw ideas in the backa my mind and let 'em cook while I sleep.  When I wake up, those ideas are nicey fresh, a little buttery, and ready to be written down!

I guess my point today is that it doesn't always come easy, writin' this blog, Friends, but I'm tryin'.  I'm tryin' really hard not to letchya down this year.  I pledged ya a new blog post every day, and that's what I'm gonna give ya.  So I'd better go get the conditions just right for Inspiration to come visit me, mmmmmkay, Friends?  I'll see ya tomorrow.  Bright'n'early! I love ya!  Muah!