Constant Inspiration

It's been months since I made much progress on any of my role-playing projects. I get a little done here and there but recently that's been it. I haven't had the inspiration necessary to sit down and spend time getting large sections completed. Thankfully, I was recently reminded of the solution to this doldrum.

Regardless of your creative field, it is important to your growth and inspiration to constantly expose yourself to other works in your field. In the case of tabletop game design there are many different forms of exposure you can pursue and I would recommend exposing yourself to as many different forms as often as possible. You can read blogs and magazines for both tabletop games and video games, read or skim through gaming manuals (especially systems you don't use regularly), skim artwork of the genre you enjoy or read fiction (short stories or small novels are best).

I advise against playing video games, however, as a source of inspiration UNLESS you are doing it specifically to experience specific aspects of the game play. If you are playing mindfully and not merely for entertainment, then this warning is not as important. However, it is still "dangerous" in that it is very easy to get sucked into a game and end up playing for the sake of playing and not gain any benefit beyond entertainment (which is totally fine if that's you're goal, sometimes it's mine).

The problem with trying to play a video game (or watch TV or possibly even read a long novel) when you are looking to expose yourself to inspirational sources is that it is easy to zone out and stop noticing the things which might otherwise inspire creativity in you. I know for myself, when working on my game or my setting, reading blogs, looking at the mechanics and settings for other games or reading certain types of fiction both inspire me as well as help light that creative fire which drives you to create. If I sit down to play a video game or watch TV though, then it becomes a chore to tear myself away and work on the project, and the drive and inspiration I may have had mere moments ago has drained away.

As I mentioned before, I haven't felt like I had the inspiration or drive to work much on my projects the last few months. However, I realized the other day that as my life has become increasingly busy I have stopped reading gaming articles and materials along with ceasing to write. As I've started incorporating these exposures back into my daily experience I have been finding that I am once again becoming inspired to work on Renaissance and other projects. It really is about daily exposure and activity. Momentum, get it going and it'll work for you, but you have to give it some activity as well or it'll dwindle and fall away. Who knew physics would apply to the Mental as well as the Physical world!