What are three inspirations for Nick Allen in Andrew Clements's Frindle?

As a creative thinker, Nick draws on a lot of inspiration in order to invent his new word frindle in Andrew Clements' story. He draws on inspiration from his teacher Mrs. Granger, his friend Janet, and a news anchorman.

Nick's first inspiration is Mrs. Granger's response when he asks, "Who decides what words should mean?" Mrs. Granger responds,

Who says dog means dog? You do, Nicholas. You and I and everyone in this class and this town and this state and this country. We all agree (28).

Hearing that he has the authority to decide the meanings of words inspires Nick to exercise his authority to make up his own word.

His second inspiration is when his friend Janet finds a gold pen. While walking home from school together, playing a game in which they are only allowed to walk along the curb, Nick keeps thinking about how Mrs. Granger said he has the power to determine meanings of words. When Janet jumps off the curb to pick up an expensive gold pen she sees, Nick is instantly inspired to call it something other than a pen; he calls it a frindle, which is the moment his new made-up word is born.

His third point of inspiration is the word quiz. While watching the news report on CBS given about his made-up word, he hears the news anchorman give the history of the word "quiz." According to the anchorman, the word was made up in 1791 when a theater manager in Dublin "bet someone that he could invent a brand-new word in the English language" (66). The news anchorman further makes the following inspiring comment:

Quiz is the only word in English that was invented by one person for no particular reason—that is until now. Now there is a new word, frindle, and here is Alice Lunderson in Westfield, New Hampshire, with the story (67).

Learning the word "quiz" was invented for no reason helps Nick feel inspired to continue using his own made-up word.

What are two examples of Nick Allen's creative ideas in Frindle?

Nick Allen, the protagonist of Frindle, is well known for his creative ideas. The most notable, of course, is his spontaneous invention of the word frindle, which eventually makes it into the dictionary as a synonym for pen. Nick also turns his third grade classroom into a tropical island (until the principal intervenes), confuses his fourth grade teacher with a high-pitched blackbird noise, and masters the art of asking "thought grenade" questions to distract teachers from their plans to give out homework assignments. When Nick is a little older, he learns that consumers have the power to influence the products that are sold in the free market. He rallies all of the kids in his school district to demand that the cafeterias serve delicious food.