Use an encyclopedia, dictionary, the Bible, or another book to find an idea. Just open the book at a random place, and see where your eyes fall. It may be that you find an unusual word, or you may find an entry on Thailand or a psalm about a shepherd. Whatever your eye lands on might be a starting point for inspiration to a new work. While flipping through a book on mythology preparing for a poetry series on living examples of old archetypes, the author of this volume came across information on an ancient Phoenician goddess named Baalat and wrote a poem about her.