The Captain's Log: A Journey to the 7 Ends of the World

Elusive inspiration: When to Write?

Have you ever heard of the term, "cliche" before?

What do you think this term means?

Have you ever used a cliche in your writing before?

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Im sure you have. Something that we are constantly warned against, be it in English classes, or interacting with people in the real world, is the use of cliches, and might I add, for good reason. Here are some examples of cliches that I find particularly cringy:

"Shut up and kiss me."

"Don't get your knickers in a twist."

"And they all lived happily ever after."

The list goes on, and on, and on.

However, what makes a cliche a cliche?

In these cases, overused cringy phrases, making readers want to sigh and turn the page.

But what about inspiration? What about positivity? What about passion?

As writers we will be forced to confront the negative reality of the world we live in, and make no mistake, the reality that were most surrounded by is negative. 

Our hopes and dreams, are quickly shut down by a society of people who are trained to cast faceless judgment, undermining desire with phrases like, "your so young," or "enjoy your youth while you have it," or even "don't be so cliche." Something you'll have to understand before you get onto this journey dear writers is that positivity is life's BIGGEST cliche.

Its cliche in a negative reality because it doesn't confirm the mob's mentality. The mob mentality being the belief that life is so complex that there's nothing to do about it. That your voice, your writing, your passion, cannot change anything. Most ideas are shut down immediately and believe me on this one its very hard to be positive in the face of consistently getting shut down by others.

Positivity is life's biggest cliche and it makes everyone you encounter want to turn your page.

Have you ever heard the phrase before, "negatively inspired?"

If you have, I would like to know where, because I haven't!

Inspiration is a word that isn't associated with the realities of the world we live in. Its associated with the cliches. Not only are we taught to avoid cliches in our own writing, we are also taught that inspiration is random. All adding to the likelihood of giving into pressure and turning our page. 

More often than not, when it does come, were not in a place where we want to use it. All adding to the decision to overlook it rather than confront it. In the shower, riding on a bus, in class, etc. And when we are in the place to use it, we are prone to distracting ourselves, in fear of all the other times we overlooked its call. 

It is by no means easy.

I have been working on concurring this overlooking confirmation bias for a long time, and am still struggling with it to this day. I know this because I have the decision to confront inspiration every single day, at the same time. 

When I wake up. 

Inspiration always comes knocking when I wake up, but the difference between me confronting it rather than overlooking it is whether I get up. That's something I have been struggling with my whole life, and am still working to master. However, there was a day where I started confronting this question more seirously.

I remember it very clearly. It came sometime in December of 2017, at 2 am. This was when I decided I was going to further the development of my rituals to help me confront inspiration. All in the negligence of responding to musics call.