That Dratted Inspiration Imp

Just when you’re rolling along with one work of fiction…

Feb 09, 2026

This article grew out another exchange with an author on Substack. J. Michael Thomas is a dedicated human writer who wouldn’t even think of cheating with AI technology. He remarked one day about inspiration hitting while he had a story planned out and thus needing to add another part to it. My guess is that many of you have experienced the same thing or worse.

“How could it get worse?” you ask.

Good question. Read on.

Two types of Inspirationus Interruptus that I have experienced from that Imp

Pardon the Latin name (that I made up). This creature is insidious, strikes without warning, and hides when you want it most.

1 - The “I’m in the middle of finalizing this manuscript” Inspiration

Many writers don’t work on one masterpiece at a time. They could have several going at once. Right now I have four (it was three until that imp started bugging me and wouldn’t shut the frig up until I started typing up the inspiration).

One was supposed to be a quick read and then send off to the publisher but turned into a “this needs some serious enhancement.” Another is a WIP that resulted from another inspiration from that imp and is now Volume 3 of From the Files of Fontaine Investigations. A third is my read-thru of what was supposed to be the first book in my Freelan series but is now the second book, again caused by an inspiration from that imp that resulted in a whole novel about one of the characters in that book (yeah, rather confusing).

And now I started another novel based on characters from the Fontaine series—the idea was just too good to let sit.

That dratted imp!

2 - The “My ‘to do’ list is a mile long right now, come back later” Inspiration

Many of you have children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, friends, family, and co-workers, all calling for your attention in one way or another. You are dealing with weather issues (too much snow and ice, too much heat, too much rain), home issues (laundry, cooking, cleaning, repairs), work issues (deadlines, meetings, more meetings, pushed into learning AI, and so on), health issues (you and/or loved ones), and financial issues (usually caused by one or more of the preceding items). The last thing you need is that dratted imp, especially when it wakes you up (lack of sleep is a cause of health issues which can lead to financial issues, as that imp is well aware).

3 - The “I gotta write an article about this” Inspiration

That’s what you’re reading now. My way of sharing the angst.

What to Do When the Imp Strikes

There is a saying in the political sphere: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

Same goes for inspiration. Take advantage of it, even if it’s just jotting down a few notes (I have stacks of them) or typing up a quick file on your laptop or smart phone (I have dozens of such files on my laptop all patiently waiting their chance to show me how good they are and worthy of my time). The imp doesn’t always give you great inspirations, but then not every apple on that display is tasty, no matter how pretty it looks (remember what happened to Snow White).

Best wishes on your writing (and reading). And remember that you are the master of that imp, not the other way around. Keep it under control.

My Author Website

My Books on Amazon

My Books on Barnes & Noble