""forcing" art vs making it when you're really inspired doesn't actually change the final quality all that much."
Bingo. You have just cracked the code that many, many people interested in making art never manage to. Now, it is true that there are CERTAIN things, certain parts of the process that require more creativity, higher brain function etc, which is why I often won't even try to do those things when I'm braindead from massive amounts of stress, lack of sleep etc. There are, especially, certain times of the day where I just do other, non-creative things because I know most of what I try to make then will be trash. It's a waste of time. But the key is to not let that become an excuse. Some times are good? Fine. I better be working during those times then.
But "Inspiration" is like "Passion", people get enraptured by these magic words. Making stuff isn't about "Inspiration". I had ONE bit of inspiration nearly 3 years ago now when I had a fucked up dream and went "Actually, maybe I can make this work for the third chapter". And occasionally little bits here and there as I work, most of which I throw out as they don't fit the flow of what I'm doing. But mostly it's not about "Inspiration", it's about tuning in to the general...vibe of what you're making, like tuning in a radio station, or floating down a river, and letting that pull you along. It's not some grand lightning bolt from above that gets you through 95% of it, it's just this calm, ongoing intuition of "yeah, yeah that feels right" or "No no, that doesn't work, throw it out, try something else." It's like anything else in life, it doesn't live in the grand and earth-shattering, but the practical everyday continuations, building slowly through trial and error till you have something. But I like it that way, it feels more real than if I was constantly getting revelations from the heavens. Because then my stuff would be written by the heavens. It wouldn't be written by me. My failures. My successes.
But I've definitely enjoyed your stuff Sheep, and time allowing I'd definitely like to see a bigger project when you can manage it.