Writing a story can help you pour your imagination into a billion artistic pieces; for many people, writing stories can be therapeutic, while for others, it’s a source of income. Everyone can benefit from writing one way or another, regardless of their chosen reason to write. However, writer’s block can be a severe problem, and even the most prominent authors in the world can experience it. Yes, even Stephen King, who wrote over a hundred books. If you put that into perspective, his current age is 76 years, meaning he would have been writing around two to three books per year if he had started his career in his early twenties. That’s a lot of books!
Inspirations For Authors Looking For True Stories
Writer’s block can be a serious problem for anyone who wants to write. But if you want to overcome it, some good stories should inspire you. You’ve come to the right place if you’re one of the many authors looking for true stories to inspire them. Here are some great stories you can use to eliminate your writer’s block.
The Ups and Downs of Nelson Mandela’s Life
If you’re one of the many authors looking for true stories to write about something inspiring and awe-shocking, look no more than Nelson Mandela’s life. Nelson Mandela is an activist who started his career giving legal help to people. Eventually, he made his way into the presidency and became the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. Now, you might think this is just another presidential story like Obama’s, but that isn’t the case. Mandela’s life is filled with strife in which he found answers to life’s greatest question. He was one of the few individuals in the world that has accepted that existence and adversity are the same.
What makes Nelson Mandela’s life stand out is his struggles. South Africa isn’t the best place to be a president. Discrimination and racism ran rampant, not to mention that he was labeled as a criminal because of his previous affiliation with the African National Congress (ANC) early on in his life. Because of this, he was convicted, and he had to spend much of his life in a small cell in a deplorable situation. However, Nelson fought through it, and when he was released, he eventually took up a leadership position in South Africa, changing the region to what we know today.
Muhammad Ali’s Experiences
If you’re interested in boxing and one of the many authors looking for true stories that want to look into physical prowess, look no further than Muhammad Ali’s life. Muhammad is considered one of the best, if not the best, boxers of all time. He became the heavyweight champion about three times, but that’s not the only thing that made him an exception. He stood up for his spiritual beliefs by refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam War, leading to his three-year ban from boxing. Moreover, he had Parkinson’s disease, which affected his ability to box. With the help of physical therapy, he was able to stem the tide of the disease. He would have also benefitted from casual eye exams because his vision was deteriorating from the disease. Eventually, Parkinson’s consumed him fully, making him unable to do what he loved.
Muhammad’s life is a great example of physical prowess and going through the worst challenges in life. It’s a great source of inspiration for many people, and until today, Muhammad’s impact can be seen in movies like Rocky and the more recent Southpaw. He has become the prime example of what influential boxers should be like. He should also be an example of what celebrities should strive to become: humble.
The Literary Career of Albert Camus
Many authors looking for true stories can’t help but use Albert Camus as part of their canvas. Albert Camus is one of the most inspiring writers in recent history. He came from a poor family in Algeria, and his experiences during World War II made him one of the most influential writers of all time. Not many knew that he also participated in the war as part of the French resistance during the Nazi occupation of France, in which he was an activist against the Nazi regime.
After the war, he was awarded the Nobel Prize. Many of his works were considered to be influential, such as ‘The Stranger,’ ‘The Plague,’ and ‘The Myth of Sisyphus.’ His works looked into what it means to be human in this universe and sometimes the absurdity of life. He eventually died of a car accident in January 1960, and the lack of an auto accident lawyer made it hard to understand who to blame for the death of such an influential person. By the end of the day, Albert Camus has explained to people what it means to live in the face of adversity. Although his life was short-lived his influence lives on. To this day, many writers still look to his writing as their inspiration. Many of his works can be found in libraries and literary curricula, making him one of the most influential writers of the 20th Century.
Snoop Dogg’s Music Career
Snoop Dogg is one of the most interesting characters of the 21st century. He is great for authors looking for true stories because he is one of the most down-to-earth celebrities out there. Many might think that his road to success was paved with milk and honey, but it wasn’t. People forget that Snoop experienced poverty and crime early on in his life, which affected his music career. Not to mention that he was incarcerated during high school.
It was also hard for Snoop to penetrate the saturated music industry, filled with legends like Tupac and Biggie. It was also quite dangerous, as rappers who get as famous as he was tend to be figuratively and literally targeted by others. Ultimately, Snoop Dogg became one of the most famous rappers today because Dr. Dre found his homemade tapes, and this catapulted him to stardom. Nowadays, almost every custom t-shirt printing company has Snoop Dogg in their products; that’s how famous he has become.
Not everyone can relate to Snoop Dogg’s path to success, but anyone can relate to some parts, such as his struggles to become one of the most famous rappers today. If you’re an aspiring writer, then you should definitely read more about Snoop Dogg’s music career. You can definitely find some inspiration there for your story.
The Activism of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Authors looking for true stories have to find something revolutionary for their writing. No one else is as revolutionary as Martin Luther King, Jr. Everyone in the U.S. knows of Martin Luther King, Jr. He single-handedly pieced together a segmented black community to fight for their rights and freedom. Unlike Malcolm X (whom we will discuss later), he looked for a peaceful revolution to bring blacks together and whites. However, he was assassinated before he could see his plans come to fruition. The funeral service for Martin Luther King, Jr. was revolutionary as it brought all blacks together to rise and bring about equality in the country.
Malcolm X’s Life
If Martin Luther King Jr. had been revolutionary, then Malcolm X would have been a visionary, and his life would have been great for authors looking for true stories. Malcolm X took more of the vision of Martin Luther King, Jr. and added a drastic element to it: his charisma. Martin Luther King, Jr. was charismatic, but Malcolm X is well-known for his fiery speeches and the media. Everyone knew how Malcolm X came to be and the abuses he had to endure before becoming a leader. However, much like Martin Luther King, Jr., he too was assassinated before he saw his vision come to life.
The Struggles of Leonard Peltier
Leonard Peltier is great for authors who want to write about adversity. Leonard is a native American who was accused of the death of two FBI agents during the shootout on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, back in the 70s. Despite many petitions of innocence from him and the international community, he hasn’t been released since.
Right now, he is the leading advocate for Native American rights. He also advocates for equality for his people and everyone in the minority. He is the prime example of ‘fighting the good fight’ and resiliency against all odds. Quite recently, President Biden advocated for his freedom, but so far, he hasn’t been released from prison.
Many wonder what would have happened if he had a strong criminal defense lawyer who was free from bias or manipulation by the system. Leonard would have been able to spread his story and inspire more people about his experiences. Following Leonard’s path, writers should be free of bias and write the story they want to tell.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Life in the Supreme Court
Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s story inspires any authors looking for true stories about gender equality. Her story goes back to the early 1930s. She was one of the few women in a male-dominated field. She strived her best at Columbia Law School, and because of that, she graduated top of her class. Eventually, she experienced all sorts of discrimination when she was seeking employment. Any woman would know her frustrations, including Wonder Woman. But unlike Wonder Woman, she didn’t have superpowers, which made her more relatable.
Nonetheless, Ruth started the Women’s Rights Project, where she helped women find jobs in male-dominated fields while advocating for women’s rights. Eventually, she served on the Supreme Court under President Bill Clinton in 1993. She is well known for having fast wits in court while also being more determined than her male colleagues.
Noland Arbaugh’s Experience as the First Neuralink Patient
In more recent news, the first Neuralink patient, Noland Arbaugh, is a great inspiration for authors looking for true stories as to what it feels like to be disabled while also being redeemed through technology. Noland became a quadriplegic because of a freak incident and had to live most of his life paralyzed. However, he persevered through daily life until he was chosen for the Neuralink project.
Neuralink is a recent technology that aims to help people with paralysis control certain devices like computers and phones with their minds. Obviously, this technology can make a difference in Noland’s life. Being quadriplegic means that he can’t use a mouse and keyboard or even swipe on his phone. However, with Neuralink, he can easily move cursors around, play chess on his computer, and more. His perseverance allowed him to become part of this project, and his belief ensured that he stayed there. Truly an example of persevering under the worst circumstances.
The Experiences of Henry David Thoreau
Lastly, Henry David Thoreau should be someone that authors looking for true stories should look into. Henry didn’t live a good life due to financial instability. It was so bad that he often didn’t have access to firewood to warm up his home. This was primarily due to his choice to live a simple life and not want a straight career path. His choices and personal principles left him with very few resources. But despite this, he fought on.
Henry wrote one of the most influential essays today, ‘Civil Disobedience.’ In this essay, he discussed the Mexican-American war and slavery. The essay became one of American history’s most important pieces of literature. His other works didn’t garner much attention back then but eventually made their way into the mainstream. He is one of the most celebrated authors because of his views on transcending the human body and the need to protect the environment as stewards of the earth.
Every writer experiences writer’s block, but if you try reading any of the stories above, you’ll be on your way to breaking that. Each story will inspire you and help you write down words you might’ve not thought of before. So what are you waiting for? Let yourself be inspired by some of the true stories in this article, and let that become the fuel for your next story.
