Although I am a graduate student in psychology, I’m no Freudian. However, I believe that inspiration can be found anywhere, even within the realm of Freudian psychoanalytic theory. Sigmund Freud had a knack for finding deeper meaning in basic ideas; taking a page out of his book, I will attempt to do the same with regard to writing. It should be familiar to anyone who has ever taken Psychology 101 that, according to Freud, the structural model of personality is comprised of the Id, Ego, and Superego. The Id is the basic seat of one’s impulses and is concerned only with one’s immediate wants and needs. The Superego is the moral part of people – the part that keeps us on the straight and narrow by responding to societal expectations. The Ego’s job is to focus on the present reality by satisfying the Id as much as possible while still pleasing the Superego. How does this all apply to writing? The Id has no fear of failure, gives no apologies for its thoughts and has no concern for the pressure of deadlines. When I find myself at a loss in the course of writing, figuring out ways to let my Id free often leads to inspiration and permits creative ideas to surface. I remember the time a fellow Writing Fellow offered a tip that he used to get started on his own writing. He recommended sitting in a dark room with a glass of wine and a computer in order to get the words flowing. I have found that this technique frees my mind and allows me to open up to my ideas without worrying about what others may think. Free-writing—writing continuously without concern for proper syntax or structure—has also been recommended to me as a useful method for letting one’s thoughts flow. So find a way to unshackle your Id, and inspiration will follow. But don’t forget—the Superego is great for editing.