Daily Archives: September 5, 2013

The next time you’re in a public place — a coffeehouse, a park, a store — observe the people around you. Pick a person, a couple, or a group, and imagine what their lives might be like.

Photographers, artists, poets: show us IMAGINE.

Well I love to do this, but it has been a long while since I went people watching with my notebook. I should down tools and get to coffee shop right now, instead I will take the artists way out of this one…

IMAGINE

Remember how easy it was for you as a child to conjure up dragons and monsters in your head,

How everything was an adventure to be enjoyed, even the rain.

Remember how the summer days seemed to last forever and it was daylight when night-time came.

Remember the simple life of your younger years,

What made you happy?

Lollipops, new records, your favourite band, fish fingers for tea or rice pudding for afters,

Getting ready for bed in fresh pyjamas.

Imagine how better life could be if we could keep hold of a little part of our simple childhood selves,

Imagine the smiles on your own children’s faces.

Seeing you as Peter Pan.

Magical, escapism just for a moment.

Hush now, listen.

Your inner voice is there, still part child.

Imagine following the voice.

Believing, once again in a landscape rich in possibilities,

What adventures you would have,

What stories you could tell.

Sep5

Still Searching for Story – Tips on the ‘Wilderness’

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Nina Lewis

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It is a situation that all writers find themselves in at one time or another, even the professionals. I now have just over 3 weeks to produce my short story that I have spent the past fortnight ‘thinking about’. I have scribbled down pages of ideas and character notes and yet none of them spark enough interest for me, let alone a reader 5000 words in…

It is a frustrating time. That has to be accepted and then brushed off. If you get mixed up in all that pent up emotion it is unlikely a character will ever appear (unless you are after a psychotic killer!) and you will find your energy zapped beyond a place of creativity.

Real writers get stuck. So put that in your mind instead – you are a REAL writer and it will come. Don’t switch off from it or turn your back on the problem. (Burying your head in the sand never works and could leave you with a very dry mouth!)

So what can you do? Be PROACTIVE! Here’s what I have tried;

Stay with the ideas. Keep scribbling the notes when they come. Themes, plot ideas, characters, situations, feelings, settings, random descriptions.
Keep thinking. Many writers create whole stories in their heads first.
Take a walk. You never know what you might come across.

A woman in one of my writing classes this Spring, told us a tale of her and her husband taking a walk in a wood. They were passed by some man who appeared out of the trees (she described him in great detail). They decided to investigate further and came across a stash of drugs – for her it was a notebook dream and she scribbled it all down (hence her detailed memory) whilst her hubby hopped from one foot to the other, itching to leave the scene before the man came back…. which of course led his wife onto writing more and more possible plot events!

Keep reading. I have been devouring books recently, not necessarily in the genre I hope to write in (always best if you have an idea where you are heading) to read books that will inspire you or fill the gaps.
STOP WORRYING! It will come (and the worst that can happen if it doesn’t is you miss an opportunity) many competitions are annual so make a diary note and get working on a story for next year. When the pressure is off you will proper find your mind fills with abundant ideas. So take your foot off the metal/ gas and slow down a little, you are your own worst enemy for piling on the pressure.
De-stress. Take a soak in the tub or meditate. Step out of your writing skin for a while and before you know it, your muse will come running back to you!