Creative writing is one of the oldest and most flexible art mediums. But it’s not as simple as sitting down with your notebook and jotting down a couple of lines of springy dialogue.

Many writers struggle with coming up with the correct words. It’s true for beginners and veterans alike. In fact, writer’s block is the default state of mind for a lot of creators out there.

But waiting for inspiration to just fall on your head isn’t a very productive way of going about your art. It can be months and even years before you get into that special mood again. So when it comes to looking for inspiration, there’s no better place than other works of art.

It doesn’t have to be in writing, solely as you can also focus on:

• Songs;
• Drawings;
• Movies;
• Games;
• Photos, etc.

A lot of different art mediums can have the desired effect on your mind. For now, let’s just focus on movies. Specifically, the ones that leave out all the routine in a writer’s life and highlight and romanticize the rest. Just the thing you need to feel the urge to come back to writing after the credits.

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Dead Poets Society

Dead Poets Society is one of those classic movies you just have to watch. It doesn’t matter if you are a college student making one’s first steps in fiction, a veteran writer looking for inspiration, or if you’re just trying to have a pleasant evening.

This one will leave a lasting impression on just about anyone. So make sure you have the rest of the evening for yourself to bask in its aftertaste.

Interrupting the flow of this movie by going straight to your studies or work right after finishing it would be a horrible mistake. So either clear up your schedule or pass some of your work to reliable online writing services like Essay Pro – you don’t want to miss the deadline, after all.

It’s way easier to enjoy some downtime when there are no deadlines looming over your head. The story revolves around self-expression and can resonate with beginner artists (especially students) really well. You’ll see some familiar faces among the cast, including young Rob Williams and Ethan Hawke. All of them did a great job.

And while there is no traditional action involved, the movie keeps you in the moment until the very end with its slow-burning pace.

Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard takes us even farther into the past. The movie is over 70 years old now. And the fact that it still manages to go toe to toe with modern dramas is a testament to its quality. As are the multiple awards and praises it received since the release.

Yet, in order to make up your own independent opinion, you should definitely have a look at it yourself.

The plot, dialogues, and the overall atmosphere of the movie can give you lots of ideas and concepts to use in future work. Grab yourself a notebook before you hit play and jot down the details that speak to you throughout the movie.

By the end of it, you’ll have plenty of material to analyze and sift through. And who knows, maybe you’ll even be able to work out the exact formula of its immortal success.

Barton Fink

A psychological thriller is one of the most exciting genres out there. And Barton Fink is its nearly perfect representative. Any writer will be immediately hooked by the first part that portrays the quiet suffering of a writer’s block all of us has experienced.

But if you think you have the pacing figured out – you couldn’t be farther away from the truth. The movie has plenty of surprises in store.

With a couple of rapid twists, the plot picks up the pace. If you are looking for a lesson on how to keep a hold of the audience’s interest – this is it. It’s done really well to the point when you might not even realize the movie is about to end.

Whether it’s due to you associating yourself with the hero, or due to the mastery of the plot itself – Barton Fink is a perfect movie that will definitely give you the inspiration you’re looking for.

It’s also a great point to finish your movie night as you will likely be emotionally drained after. So if you are planning to watch a couple of movies back-to-back, putting it at the end of the queue would probably be best.

Ideally, you would want to spread all of these through your week. Rushing these things doesn’t really help. But when time is of the essence, you just have to make the best of it.

Final Words

The hardest thing about creative writing is probably composing the first sentence. There are thousands of excuses you can come up with in order to avoid making this crucial first step.

But if you are scared of writing, there is nothing you can do to help yourself, except for making that leap of faith in spite of all of your doubts and fears. And you’ll very quickly see the results of your decisiveness.

Coming out with the plot or the dialogues is very easy once you get the process going. What one has to understand is that you can’t nor should attempt to make a perfect story on your first try.

Failure is an essential part of the process. The cycle of writing and editing is natural. Get rid of the notion that a ‘make it or break it’ point immediately follows the completion of your first draft.

If watching a couple of inspirational movies or reading your favorite story one more time will help you make that move – by all means, go ahead and get that inspiration. But if it’s just another reason to delay the moment you yet again find yourself sitting in front of an empty page – perhaps you can skip the prep entirely and just concentrate on making it happen.