Writing Journey: Take Yourself to Five Places, Write Ten Things

Do you need to "beef up" your idea files? Are you stumped about which direction to go with your plot or character development? These are very common and, without realizing it, you're surrounded by avenues for inspiration.

When was the last time you took yourself out specifically to look for inspiration for your writing? I do this frequently to replenish myself, revitalize my idea file and enrich my writing and reconnect with the work I'm in the middle or that I plan to produce. Here's what I do:

I take myself to five different places and free write about ten different things.

Sometimes, I break it up into two writing bits per location while other times I'm able to produce "ten things" per location. Here's an example of what I did on one of the locations:

1: I grabbed a notebook and headed to library. I live in a very small town with a library that looks like an old Victorian style house. While it doesn't provide much in terms of reference, it's a bounty of inspiration. As soon as I got there, I sat down with my notebook and started looking around.

2: Once I was comfortable and had familiarized myself with my surroundings, my next goal was to find ten different things and list them on the first line of ten pages in my notebook. I went to work at this right away. Here's what I listed: (I kept it basic)

> archaic computer

> drafty window

> crown molding

> wooden table with creaking chairs

> dark wood book shelves

> multi-colored book bindings

> stack of books on circulation desk

> dark wood card catalog

> old man reading in the corner

> a child trying to read a book aloud

3: Once each of my "things" were written on the top line of ten different pages, I started free writing about each. I used the stream of conscious method Julia Cameron discussed in her book, The Artist's Way, when she described how to create morning pages. I just let the words flow until I filled the page, then I moved on to the next "thing."

On another trip, rather than free writing about ten things, I wanted to fuel my idea file. So, I went to the town hall and copied everything down that was posted on the community boards. This gave me a list of topics I could write non-fiction pieces about and topics to include in works of fiction. It also provided a list of references (some of what was posted was websites and other tangible information) should that become a need in the future.

I try to hit all five places in one day (some would call this an Artist Date) so I can come home with as much material as possible. I also collect pamphlets, brochures, community calendars, maps, announcements, business cards and other paper references.

There's a lot of opportunity for creativity on these trips. These trips will also work well for artists trying to gather inspiration and "pre-sketches" for work they're trying to accomplish. I haven't tried this, myself, but it is on my list of things to experiment with in the future.

Remember, these trips require some planning ahead so you can really spend quality time with the writing assignments you're giving your creative self. If you feel rushed, you many not get enough out of this experience. Be sure you can set aside a good portion of your day before heading out. Also be sure to discuss your plans with your family so they'll understand that you're going to be engaged in this activity for several hours.