any ideas?

I have composed a number of pieces, most all for concert band (since I'm a public school band director). I have found inspiration in many ways, but mainly through trial and error.

Sometimes I will pick up my trumpet and just play. When I find something I like, I will repeat it a few times to tweak it, then write it down. It may only be a few notes or measures, but I'll get it down some how on paper - in MuseScore, on a sheet of music paper, sometimes just on a napkin, but I get it down before I forget it.

Sometimes I sit at the piano and pick through chord progressions and melodies. When I hit something I like, I write it down.

I keep a folder of my snippets, and I will go though it occasionally and see what I've got and what I can expand on. I find that I can seldom write a lot at one time, but instead in spurts. I'll get "hot" and write several phrases, but composition is artistic creation, and I can't force myself to be creative. It comes when it comes.

nothing matches just being at your instrument and exploring. Inspiration can only give a direction. Hard work and many hours will give you the control over your muse to achieve what you want. Listen. Learn. Look inside.

Also known as, "Practice, practice, practice".

Also, don't be concerned with being unique. There are only 12 notes, but an infinity of time.

Write, write, write.

Regards,

All of the above, but sometimes I can open a sheet in MuseScore and just write a melody, single instrument line, I know what each note sounds like, from that what note will be best next, and what length of note. For instance, start with a crotchet "F", two quavers on "G", another crotchet "E" and a crotchet "A", there you have a start to a melody in the first bar in common time of course. Decide from there which note to start the next bar. Sometimes works for me anyway.
Once a phrase has been constructed, start another, and before long you should have a fanfair type of piece from that start.
Once you have a melody, arrange around it.