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I'll get back to theme days once I find a groove of posting regularly. In the meantime, most of my posts are about some variation of books, bikes, buses, or Broadway. Plus bits about writing, nonprofits, and grief from time to time.

This blog is mostly lighthearted and pretty silly. It's not about the terrible things happening in the world, but please know that I'm not ignoring those things. I just generally don't write about them here.

13 January 2011

Being Inspired

When I read A Million Miles in a Thousand Years a few weeks ago, there was one bit with which I had a serious disagreement. Mr. Miller said that non-writers have this idea that writers are inspired by life-- I forget the exact wording of the sentence, but something along the lines that after a game of Ultimate Frisbee, writers are bursting with things to write about frisbee-playing. And, he says, that is not the case.

I guess for him it isn't.

For me, it is the case. If I don't go out and do things, then I have nothing to write about. The more I am out, mixing with people and observing life around me, the more my brain is stimulated. The synapses begin firing and suddenly worlds of ideas shoot across my brain. If anything, I have to be careful of overstimulation.

Although I guess I do agree with him in one respect; playing frisbee won't necessarily give me frisbee-related thoughts. The brain might go down the garden path of hang gliders, or wonder why I do some things better with my left hand than my right. I'm likely to be reminded of years of summer camp, or just hot days in my parents' yard. And the people! People do such interesting things! Perhaps in our time together they will reveal some of their character or their struggles. Maybe we will accidentally find out they have a temper if things go wrong or are unbearably celebratory when things go right. I might see a way to take a character a whole different direction, just because I played frisbee with someone I don't know.

Frisbee Golf
Or maybe my brain will go the frisbee route and remember my first date with Chad when we played frisbee golf. Or I'll think of that scene in Back to the Future III when Marty finds a pie pan made by the Frisbee company, and maybe I'll decide which of my characters uses a Frisbee as a candy dish. Or I'll wonder if Little Weasley is getting any use out of the frisbees we gave him a couple of years ago.

Regardless of which way my brain goes, it won't go at all if I don't have something to feed it. And since I haven't been out a lot this week, the well is beginning to run dry. Good thing the spring semester starts next week.

5 comments:

L.A. Colvin said...

I agree with you. I might not write about frisbees but the story is lurking right there on the edge. If I wanted to I could pluck it out and shape it. There is no telling how bad it would be but it would BE. Whether you're a writer or not you need to experience life as much as possible. But if you are a writer then the more you have in your noggin you more you can pull out. I'm with you though, if I do something then my muse starts in with the "What Ifs".

Anonymous said...

I usually create the best concepts and ideas in my mind while doing some activity - the catch being I have difficulty stopping to write it down because I'm busy

Kari Marie said...

I agree with you. Half my story ideas come from interaction with other folks or just watching the world go by. My brain is a big filing cabinet. I file away stuff all day long and then open up the drawers for the muse to rummage around in at night.

Denise Covey said...

It's amazing how often I see things and don't even think about it again until I write it in a story. The creative subconscious is always at work in a writer's brain. Love the way this happens.

I especially came by to thank you for responding to my 'disaster' post. I appreciated your thoughts. I kept my head above water and am now watching the river go down. I am still isolated in the CBD as am surrounded by water and no businesses are operating.

BTW I have a Publication Party started on my blog. I'd love it if you could come by and read what authors have to say about getting published. Perhaps you could leave a comment about your aspirations. There are prizes each week. Please come by. The champagne's free!

Denise :)

Su said...

@LA: Yes, very true.

@Charlie: I have that problem, too.

@Kari: I think my muse eats chocolate at night. :(

@Denise: I'm glad you're okay! And I'll be stopping by!