In every artist profile I’ve ever read, the question of a project’s roots arises in one way or another.

Sometimes, the interviewer keeps it open-ended, leaving the star to explain themself as they will.

“What inspired you to create this piece?”

Other times, the desired answer is more obvious.

“Hi, Taylor Swift. Was this song written about … anyone in particular?”

No matter the phrasing and its potentially thinly-veiled sexism, the interviewee almost always has an answer: a dream, a person, a time of day, a fairy tale. Whether they choose to divulge it or not is rightfully up to them.

An individual’s creative process—and, in my opinion, where that process begins—is a special thing. An idea (or the semblance of one, at least) has prefaced every great work, and for that idea to bloom, the right setup had to occur. The light hitting just so, a perfectly-planned dinner party featuring the ideal mixture of conversation-stimulating guests, having a pen on hand.

While certain answers may be ubiquitous, each is unique in that the moment has to pair with the right person for the magic to happen. Only you can create your way! Read on, then question yourself. With an answer in hand, utilize it.

Every artist (yes, including you! Including the forgers!) is unique, and it’s important to find your own best practice when it comes to creating. HOWEVER, hearing how others get the job done never hurts—which is why I’m offering you twenty-two people’s answers to an important question:

“What makes you feel most creative?”

While certain answers may be ubiquitous, each is unique in that the moment has to pair with the right person for the magic to happen. Only you can create your way! Read on, then question yourself. With an answer in hand, utilize it.

I can’t wait to see what you make next.

“Space is what inspires me. Physical space, like a table that’s clear of clutter. Or mental space, like when no one is clamoring for my attention.” – Paulette Cervenka

“Chatting with other creative people on ideas, dreams, events, vacations, etc. Brainstorming meetings are always my favorite and leave me feeling energetic, inspired, creative, and hopeful.” – Kendra Rasmusson

“When I’m creating art with friends!” – Silvia, 9

“I feel most creative when I’m fully recharged. Usually that means a lot of ideas come to me when I’m on vacation or well-rested. When I stop trying to be creative, that’s when it hits.” – Maritza Ramirez

“I find myself inspired when it’s time to clear off the front step for the season. My flowers may be past their prime, the colors need an update for the time of year, etc. I like looking in my shed and garage, the thrift store, and I’ve even found things at the compost pile to freshen up the look. I need a redo this season already as the extended heat did a number on my mums.” – Mary Hanson-Busch 

“I think I’m the most creative when I’m alone. I definitely take inspiration from other people and things and ideas, but I need to be by myself to put ideas I’ve had together and create something new. At the same time, I can’t just be alone. It’s like I have to source morsels of ideas from other people, but I have to be alone to act on/expand/fuse them.” – Magnolia Ditzler

“Nighttime” – Bayert Salverda

“During my career developing products, two activities were most critical.

First: formal brainstorming sessions with other technical folks. The ideas would get wildly creative. It’s boatloads of fun twisting your brain to look at things from lots of different perspectives!!

Second and more personal were my first experiments with a range of materials selected because they seemed likely to be useful. I needed time alone, in the lab just messing with the materials for the first time. Constructing initial prototypes, testing, observing, and pondering. Often quietly singing the song “Getting to Know You” to myself. This is not the scientific method (form, hypothesis, test…). This is purely observational. I usually visualized this as poking a frog to see which way it jumped. I absolutely need to get my hands on stuff to create something. I can’t do it with thought experiments. And it helps to be alone. I preferred nighttime when no one else was in the lab but that’s terribly dangerous when dealing with flammable materials, so I had to give that up.” – Mary Janicek

“Conversations with friends, both the literal act of it and Sally Rooney’s novel. Also: ritualistic living room dancing in big PJ shirts and socks, with music on the loudest volume, gets the blood flowing and the brain stretchy and excited.” – Koryne Martinez

“A really smooth black pen.” – Maggie Yetzer

“Grand matriarchs. Ducks. Cute boys. Pairing wine with music. Pretending life is a movie.” – Sara Bacigalupo

“Inglorious Basterds” – Josi Bacigalupo

“100%, music. I’ve spit out entire plays just from how a single song has hit me.” – Ben Thietje 

“Specialty food stores and beautiful packaging/displays. Also, very different, but anything with a good story, especially pertaining to history. Finally, the ceiling frescos and paintings of the Church of the Gesù in Rome.” – Teaghan Persons

“Music and my fellow creative pals.” – Ariana Wilson

“Mental resets through visiting new places.” – Emma Beatrez

“The opportunity to get my hands in the dirt.” – Diana Hunstad

“I am often moved to create while watching others be creative. Like, reading a really good book makes me want to write, or flipping through an art book or going to a museum makes me get out my sketch pad. So many times while watching a concert I have the intense urge to play piano or guitar and sing and write songs. For me, I think it’s deeply inspiring to see, hear, and feel what others are creating.” – Sandra Lambrecht

“When others around me are being creative. I find it hard to motivate myself to act on something when I’m alone, yet I do most of my creative thinking and problem solving while performing solo menial tasks like showering or driving by myself.” – Austin Wessel

“Getting outside and listening to music. It makes me feel so much freer within my thinking.” – Julie Wilson

“Unfortunately, the answer would have to be drama and bad decisions.” – Aria Vettraino

“My older sister” – Ava Vilensky (Writer’s note: unprompted)

Sophie Vilensky

Sophie Vilensky (@sophiavilensky on Instagram and Twitter or if you met her in second grade) is a Real Housewives scholar and naturopath’s daughter. At this point in time these things are very important to her.