Yet an album is only a diary entry of a moment of time, a snapshot reflection of who the artist is for that period. And no one diary entry is our lif… - Rick Rubin

Break habits.
Look for differences.
Notice connections.

We can’t weigh Source material based on the initial impact it makes on arrival. Sometimes the smallest seed grows into the biggest tree. The most innocent idea can lead to the most consequential writing. Trivial insights can open the doors to vast new worlds. The most delicate message could be of the greatest importance. Even if the seed is nothing more than what we notice — a momentary perception, an unexpected thought, even the echo of a memory — it’s enough. Most often, the hints of inspiration and direction from Source are small. They appear as tiny signals traveling through the void of space, quiet and subtle, like a whisper.

Established artists generally draw from their personal experience and recommend the solutions that worked for them.