How to find inspiration

This is something I always hear. People telling how they get inspiration for their work, or asking how they get inspired to do something. And my first response was always "I don't know, it just happens." But then I thought to myself, and I figured out a few. So these are my thoughts on inspiration.

The first of my ways to get inspired is collaboration. And I'm not even talking about working with other big names or anything, let me explain. I have a little cousin named Rachel who lives in another province. I met her once when she was 2. I never saw her until 7 years later, so perhaps maybe 4 times in our lives we've met. And yet, she reminds me of myself when I was younger, a kindred spirit (at least that I think, I don't remember what I was like at 10, but I digress.)

The point is, every time I see this cousin, we sit around in the basement and come up with story ideas. One time was about a rat in London who had some frogs as an arch-nemesis. I went there for Christmas and we brainstormed about a high school story where a person moves to Canada from New York and has to fit in and find some joy (which, as someone who moved to another city in high school, isn't easy). Will anything come of it? Who knows. The important thing is that we named a character Griselda (oh, and I guess that we had ideas and motivated each other).

Another way that I become inspired is by things I witness. Now I know what you are all thinking. "But Kayne, everyone is inspired by things they see." Yes, but I take my inspiration by the dreams I have. And boy, some of those dreams are insane. Most of my dreams, I cannot remember, save for the fact that they were amazing.

But I did recall a dream I had a while ago. In it, I went to a party but the next day I ended up back at home. Unfortunately, I made it home without my car and no idea how I got to the party. Since it was Sunday and I had to work on Monday, I had one day to uncover this mystery. Joining me was my brother Kareem and my cousin Kamryn. What ensued was the most fever dream thing I have ever witnessed, including both entirely new geographical terrain, a cow eating my shirt and the fact that I could fly.

That last one actually sounds quite amusing. I think that I'm going to pen that one out one of these days. It probably won't amount to much. But the main takeaway of that is that I now have the material. And I might be able to show Kareem and Kamryn one day and they can look at me and wonder what exactly goes through my head.

So yeah, those are the main ways I find inspiration for my work (Resurrection was the number 1 with my little brother Korey when I was young, then it evolved). Honorable mention goes to sitting by water (river, lake, ocean, stream etc). What do you think of my inspiration ideas? What ways do you people find inspiration? Let me know in the comments. Until next time.

     - Kayne