Without warning, it strikes.  It’s 2 AM, you’re half asleep, and suddenly… INSPIRATION!   Hopefully, you’ll find the energy to write your idea down before falling asleep, but in the morning, what happens?  You’ve got to jump out of bed and go to work/school/job search/other responsibility, and by the time you catch a moment to read your idea over, it’s lost its sparkle.  What was “ZOMG, MUST DO!” at 2 AM looks kind of “meh,” by that evening.  All that stress piling up over the course of your day can drain your energy, and make fun ideas look a lot less appealing.  This can be a useful filter for making sure you don’t waste time on things that don’t really need doing, but what if you want to take that extra step and get them done anyway? 

I have a Doctor Who comic and several MLP fanarts that I’ve meant to get to for weeks but never have.  Does it matter if I never draw these?  No.  Do I want to do it anyway?  Yes, but not nearly as much as I wanted to as when I first thought of them.  Ideas appear in a rush of inspiration.  Just thinking of the idea is a large part of the thrill, and once that thrill mellows out, so can your motivation.  This can even affect your ability to develop ideas in the future.  Imagine getting an idea and thinking “oh, that’d be neat, but whatever.”  You probably don’t stay with it much further than that.  However, what if your response to the idea was to develop it further, and think about how you’d carry it out.  That approach sets off a chain reaction of new and better ideas.  When you think of your ideas with the intention of actually carrying them out, you think deeper, and more practically.  On the other hand, letting ideas go can be negative training.  Mellowing out is an idea killer.

Here are some ways you can prevent your inspiration from mellowing out.

1. If possible, do it right away.
Even if you just make the rough sketch, that’s completing step one.  It’s easy to throw away an intangible idea.  It’s much harder to turn your back on a creation that’s already started.

2. Designate a time for your “for fun” ideas.
Just an hour or two on the weekend will make a difference.  The reason things don’t get done is usually a matter of other things demanding your time.  Give yourself a chance to do what you want to without having to justify it.

3. Look for a pattern.
Are there certain times of day when you are more likely to feel inspired?  Do you have certain triggers, like music, that make you want to draw/write/whatever?  Set the scene and hopefully you can train your ideas to come to you when you have more time to deal with them.

I hope this helps you.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to draw some ponies.

-Tamara Hecht