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7 Unlikely Sources for Writing Inspiration

  • October 17 2014
  • Comments Off on 7 Unlikely Sources for Writing Inspiration
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Wouldn’t it be great if you could pull inspiration out of thin air to complete a novel, script, article or blog post? When you’ve tried all of the usual places to find ways to stimulate your creative side, you’ll need to look for more unconventional ways to get your dose of inspiration. After exhausting your typical Web sites, magazines and books, maybe the following unlikely sources of inspiration can help you through writer’s block.

 

Visit or Call Your Elder Family Members

 

If you’re lucky enough to still have a grandparent or elderly friend of the family who is still alive, you’ll find that they can offer great stories that can inspire you. Sometimes learning about them and their life’s lessons can be tied into the modern world in a significant way. Ask questions about what they were like when they were young, relationships and friendships they had and lost or events that are memorable to them. You’d be surprised how just one long conversation can open your mind enough to pour out pages and pages worth of writing.

 

Go to Your Local Library

 

Your intention when you go to the library isn’t to do research, but to find the spark that will ignite your own inner writer. It’s best to go to the main library where there is a bigger selection of titles to sift through. Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, you can use this technique. There’s no need to look for books in the subject area of your current project either. You can find the spark to light your fire in the most unexpected places.

 

People Watch at the Park or a Restaurant

 

Take time away from your desk to have brunch at a local diner or relax on the bench at your favorite park. Particularly, you want to choose a destination that has a lot of people that you can watch (in a non-creepy way). Writers tend to bury themselves in a book or their Smartphone’s while sitting outside, so it’s common for them not to notice the people around them. Take note of what you see and hear, and just maybe you’ll get some ideas for a character or story idea.

 

Watch a Silent or Foreign Film or Show without Subtitles

 

To help get you in tune with human emotions, you can watch a show or movie without any sound. The idea here is to make up what is being said. It may seem silly at first, but this could help you to get better at putting together dialogue that flows naturally. Some writers have used this to spark ideas and become better at what they do.

 

Walk Around Your Neighborhood or Town

 

As a writer, you’re oftentimes glued to you laptop, Smartphone and tablet for hours on end. There are few reasons that require you to get up and walk around (except to get food, water and use the restroom). Sitting on your couch or at a desk much of the day isn’t only bad for your health, but it can be bad for creativity as well. By taking walks, you can get back in tune with the world around you. Take a stroll through the park, the forest, neighborhood, mall or anywhere else you can get your mind off things and let your thoughts flow. Observe everything as you’re walking, such as the people, animals and objects you come across. Small details can oftentimes funnel the slightest thought into a full-blown idea.

 

Use Social Media to Guide Your Writing

 

In the world of marketing, you have to write content that speaks to your proposed audience. It’s easy to lose yourself in the marketing aspect of your writing, causing a disconnection. This is why it’s recommended that you use social media to reconnect to the very people you’re writing for. Look at the posts and comments that people are making on your social channels. This will give you insight into the minds of your demographic.  Simply reading smart and snarky comments can be enough to give you ideas for your marketing collateral.

 

Keep an Open Channel with Your Inner Child

 

Remember when you were young and you would come up with the most imaginative ideas, stories and characters? This is the time in your life when you had the most fantastic view of the world. Over time, this point of view is chiseled away by society, life and the public school system. Reopening that mindset can be fun and very inspiring for your writing as an adult. In order to tap into your inner child brain, you can partake in things you used to enjoy or download preschool apps and games that could bring you back to that point in time. You’ll find the books and games for preschoolers are simple and straightforward, but have lots of colorful pictures. The images and simplicity of the design can be a great stepping stool for creative and marketing writers alike.

 

Grasping desperately for inspiration can be a thing of the past when you have a variety of untapped places to look. These are just a few of the unlikely sources for writing inspiration that’s out there. Do yourself a favor and give these a try, and also see if you can find other odd places that can be the key to unlocking your world of writing.

 

 

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Cameron Mackey

Cameron is the Content Manager for the Vorongo Blog. He has spent three years in various content marketing roles. When he is not working with Vorongo he enjoys photography and hiking.

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