© 2015 Carol Goodman Heizer
While attending conferences, your mind is already focused on your craft, so always carry paper and 
pen with you. That way when inspiration strikes, you can write it down immediately. Ideas often come at unexpected times.
I knew of an author who awakened during the night and had difficulty finding paper and pen in a strange room. Determined not to lose her inspiration, she wrote it on toilet paper with an eyebrow pencil! Necessity really is the mother of invention.
Although the main sources of inspiration are from the speakers and workshops, there are other vital sources of inspiration we often overlook.
Consultations
When meeting in one-on-one consultations, know exactly what you want to discuss, even to having questions written down. This opportunity is one of mentor and student, so be prepared to listen to every word. We learn more by listening than by speaking, so stay alert for inspiration here.
Social Gatherings
Whether attending one of the structured get-togethers or having a casual meal, resist the urge to always sit with friends and acquaintances. This is a wonderful opportunity to gain fresh inspiration and viewpoints from new contacts.
While sharing ideas with these new-found colleagues, you will be amazed at the inspiration you hear. It may be an idea for a title or a workable conclusion for a project you have already begun. It may be a single word that triggers your imagination into over-drive from which you can proceed.
Take a Walk
While you frequently glean a myriad of content gems from conferences, sitting through multiple learning experiences can tire both the mind and the body. To refresh both, simply take a walk. If walking inside the conference accommodation is the only option, take advantage of it.
A better choice is to get into the fresh outdoor air and allow both your body and mind to breathe for a while. Take time to be grateful for who you are and your gift for writing. Focus on simply “being” and become completely lost in its existence. This, too, can happen during a writers’ conference when you allow yourself to get away from everything for a little while and let the inspiration come to you. Don’t forget to take your paper and pen for inspiration that awaits you around the next bend or beyond the next step.
Don’t ever let inspiration pass you by! Be prepared and enjoy the blessings.
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Carol Goodman Heizer, M.Ed., resides in Louisville, KY. She is an eight-time published author 
whose books have sold in the U.S. and overseas. Her work has appeared on several occasions in Chicken Soup for the Soul andChristian Communicator. Previous works are purchased through Amazon.com, CreateSpace. Her work will begin appearing in Mature Living magazine in 2016, along with her latest book that focuses upon writers and their art, being edited by Dr. Dennis Hensley.
