Inspiration is one of those things that can strike at the oddest of times, and seems to come out of nowhere. A flash of insight while you're driving; the spark of an idea while you're walking the dog. It hits all of us at one time or another - whether you're a writer or not. Some people just get it more often than others.
Over the weekend, while we were in Denver, I was laying in our hotel room trying to take a nap after driving for several hours. I was too pooped to party, so to speak, but my brain was humming. I don't know how I got to the line of thinking, but I had one of those flashes of insight. (Thank goodness I got up and wrote the whole thing down on the hotel stationery, or I'd be pretty p' o'd at myself right now.)
I have a whole file full of stories - most of which came to me while I was trying to sleep, and all the product of my overactive imagination. My bad fluffy bunny story, my historical thriller, a YA or two, and some romances - all sitting in a several-page-long list waiting to be written. I'd better get cracking if they're all going to see the light of day before I die of old-age. (And at the rate I get new ideas, I can never die.)
When do your blinding flashes take place?
When I'm walking or driving or sitting in church???? It's when my mind goes onto auto pilot in some ways - not a good sign for my attention in church though and maybe not a great idea when I'm driving - it's only during long distance driving though. There is something about these activites that lets go part of the brain and lets the other side out of its cage :-)
ReplyDeleteWalking the dog, in the shower, or like you, when I'm trying to nap. I keep notecards everywhere now. I'm with Liz, I think the brain knows when you're not trying to force things and so it has the freedom to be more creative.
ReplyDeleteI love that rush you get when you think of something you just know is good. Enjoy! :)
Yes, it must be when you let go of what you think that the ideas have room to come forth.......
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of lists, I don't do any writing, but 10 yo DD does. She also has a list of stories to be written. And I think she even has a general timetable for them too.
ReplyDelete(And no, she didn't get it from me. I make a few lists now, but I sure didn't when I was 10!)