You want inspiration? Here's one way.

This print, made by the Japanese artist Kuniyoshi around 1840, was posted on our blog about the Samurai Detective series. It shows a famous Japanese poet, Dainagon Tsunenobu, who lived about a thousand years ago. He has just finished writing this poem:

When the evening comes

From the rice leaves at my gate

Gentle knocks are heard;

And, into my round rush-hut,

Autumn's roaring breeze makes way.

Just then a ghost appeared outside his window and recited another poem, this one by a well-known Chinese poet. (It's on the scroll you see coming out of the ghost's mouth.) I just thought it would be wonderful if a writer's inspiration came so easily.