What is the best inspiration for writing a novel?

The word is FASCINATION. Writer whatever fascinates you, fiction or non-fiction. If it fascinates you, you will be motivated to do whatever it takes to write about acurately and with a lot of heart and desire. If the topic fascinates you, it may fascinate others who enjoy the same topic, especially if you succeed in writing about your topic as vividly as you can see it in your heart and mind.

inspiration can come from anywhere, it's different for each writer but I guess the best inspiration are the different aspects of your life and those that are close to you...

Write what you know is advice that shouldn't be taken too strictly. At least not the way most people think of it. People have written great novels based on what they know personally. But, only doing that can limit a writer. So, I think "what interests you" is better inspiration. And even with that, you can use what you know. What you know isn't necessarily what you know from first hand experience. You can know things from research. And of course, there are things that you imagine. In a way, that can also be considered "what you know". It's simply knowing your imagination. So, I say write what interests you. And, then, make you know as much about that as you can.

It's true, many first time novelists write from life. They fictionalise episodes of their life, or write an entire fictionalised memoir. "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac was for example a roman a clef, a novel taken from life but with and names changed. In a sense it's easier to do this, as it requires less imagination; although it takes great talent to make one's life rivetingly fascinating; often this talent verges on the poetic. Others opt for an entirely fictional path requiring much more imagination; very hard to pull off; as they has to invent a whole "world" in which people can believe. I think it depends where a writer's strengths lie. Some writers major on the beauty of the language; and love of the intellectual, poetic nature of novel writing; others on the powers of the imagination, which is often more successful. Many "art" novelists struggle to become known, and remain undiscovered in their lifetime. While some of those who hone in on what the pblic might really "go for" in commercial terms strike it fabulously lucky. In the end though, writing is a deeply competitive field, in which only a tiny minority of writers at any given time come anywhere near any kind of lasting success. It's sad; but it's life.

Well, use your imaginations and which one who got the best result of it. For example, you imagine about horror, or whatever you like. Compare the result and pick the best from it.

i wrote a novel months back. My inspiration was internally, when you start writing you make script within your brain and put it out on paper. you therefore,keep on thinking what should be the next. but some people write what they see, some follows there internal urge to write something.

I'm a fantasy writer myself, and I could say that technically I know fantasy. True, I've never seen a dragon or crossed over into another world. But it's been what I love to read and what I dream about for pretty much my whole life. I find loads of inspiration in other books, in dreams, in mythology and legends, in a public garden during a sunny rainstorm, and cooped up at home while the world outside is covered in ice and snow. You find inspiration in loads of places.