Where Does It Come From?

by Tristi Pinkston

Now, before you get all nervous, let me clarify that the title of this blog isn't "Where do babies come from?" It's, "Where does it come from?", the "it" in question referring to the inspiration to write.

I was asked this question the other day by a man who has the greatest respect for the written word and the process involved, but who does not write himself. He told me he's always been interested in just what it is that makes an author sit down and write something, whether it's an assignment or a voice inside the head or a feeling in the heart - what is it? I launched into a rambling and probably far-too-long explanation of just why it is that I write (I don't get to talk to adults very often) and at the end, I was surprised to see that A) he hadn't fallen asleep or run away and B) he seemed to get it.

Every author has their own inspiration source, although I think it's safe to say that we don't always get our story ideas from the exact same place each time. We also do it for different reasons, although I think it's safe to say that writing keeps us all sane. Regardless of the reasons or the techniques or the methods of so doing, we all know it comes from the same place - as a gift from our Heavenly Father. All talents are from Him, and when we truly seek to use them in the way He intended, to lift others up and to bring beauty or knowledge or inspiration into their lives, we'll find that our inspiration continues to flow.

I've found that when I go through my hardest periods of writer's block, it's either because I've worn myself out so badly I can't be receptive to those little voices, or it's because I've forgotten to give proper credit and thanks to the Source of all that flows within us.

So where does it come from? The idea might come from a line of a song, from an overheard piece of dialogue, from a dream ... but in the end, the source is always the same. It all comes from the one True Source, the One who created us and blessed us to see the world in words.