Noob heaven- Something I think I can feel credible while responding to!
The question is how does one feed one's 'inspiration monster', right?
Well for me, there is precisely no technique for finding cranium grain. I mean I've been making up dittys for as many years as I've been able to hold an intelligible conversation; Since I was 20 . I NEVER sit down and try to write a song from scratch. Alas, this doesn't stop me producing them (sorry!). I spend a lot of my life in benign positions such as on the bus, on the train, in a cafe ect.. where I have little choice but to watch the world and all of it's marvellous occurrences pass me by. I see a 'thing' happen to a person or another 'thing', and every now and then a subconscious 'what if' sparks a train of thought and imagination which usually lasts the entire physical vacancy. Normally a story or concept is born and even a few definite lyrics. Possibly even a tune. I might even have mentally dug back to a riff or progression I'd been playing with in the past and done a bit of match making.
If I can still remember it next time I have my guitar in my hands it's a good start. If the song isn't as easy to write as the concept was to conjure, I leave it alone. Not necessarily for good, just until something clicks at random during my chaotic goat rodeo of a life and I have ample opportunity to revisit it. All my stuff is done this way.
I guess I can concur with the John Mayer quotes. There's myself rather casually, and quite often unintentionally putting myself in touch with myself, occasionally referring to myself for guidance during and then pitching the whole idea to myself afterwards.
I find this works.