Nov 04 2009
Where can we Find Inspiration?
Those of you that follow the Southern Colorado Literature Examiner will know that November is National Novel Writing Month, (or NaNoWriMo for short). To celebrate, The Office of Letters and Lights issues a challenge each year to all writers. For more information on this, check out my article; Write a novel in 30 days for National Novel Writing Month. Anyway, so it sounded like fun and I decided to try it. Starting November 1st, I’m going to begin writing a novel. Only problem is, I don’t have the slightest idea what I am going to write about. I need inspiration, and of course, this is when my muse decides to take off for parts unknown on vacation. So, between now and then, I have to come up with some ideas. Inspiration can be found in some of the most unlikely places, and I am always on the lookout for new places to look. So, here a few online inspiration spots where I have found my muse hanging out. Muses stick together, so perhaps you’ll discover yours in on of the following places.
· oneword.com – On this site, you are challenged to take one word and write against the clock for a period of sixty seconds to see what you can come up with.
· Writer’s social networks can often bring information, just by listening to what other writers have to say. I have my own network, Writers’ World, which includes a group called Inspiration Corner, where writers can keep a journal of things that have inspired them and share that with others, as well as sharing inspirational quotes or links to inspirational articles and blog posts. There are many other networks out there, too, such as The Writer’s Box, The Writer’s Network, AuthorNation, All Who Create, IMPnow, My Writers and Authors, etc….
· Follow your favorite writing blogs. (Don’t forget to put Writing to be Read at the top of your list). Some of my favorites include Editor Unleashed, Writer Unboxed, Chinese Whisperings, Writing About You, Electric Alphabet, The Blog of Fascination, The-Writing-Bug, and Urban Muse.
My apologies. I did not get this finished as quickly as I had hoped and in the interim have been too busy trying to get this novel thing together to come up with a poem for this post. I know this is kind of my signature for Writing to be Read, but I’m hoping you will all forgive its omission just this once. It’s either that or post it way after the fact, which doesn’t seem like the good choice to me. Until next time, Happy Writing!
A website may one day be coming soon.
There is inspiration as far as the east is from the west. I once had an idea for a short-story by looking at a paperclip. Don’t ask me what the idea is now (
) because I don’t remember it.
Think about the beach or about the best time you ever had in your life (a time when you laughed with friends, had so much fun you hoped it would never have ended) and then think of how you could make that time even more interesting. You could place in a few characters that are in everyway lovable and likable. Or you could make one the antagonist. . . the one who doesn’t care and wants to make sure no one is having a good time.
Did you know S. E. Hinton loved her characters so much she had dreams about them? She was a great writer. . . and she had good themes. I don’t know what you are into story-wise but if you are sensitive to some language stay a little far away from the Young-Adult section. And some have violence.
That aside. . . I hope the best for you and your project.
Take care and GOD LOVES YA !!!!
Hi. It’s cj scurria again. I hope you are working on the story or novel or whatever it is. I have a few suggestions. Come up with a character sketch (an outline that details how the characters are in any way) and work from there thinking about plot (man or woman vs. man or woman, man or woman vs. self, man or woman vs. nature, man or woman vs. society) and then craft the story using theme and structure and you could even use subplot.
With writing, it can be fun and exciting. . . as long as you may have a deadline or a set time that you set yourself to complete it. I think that positive stress is a great thing and it was something I could have used if I went to college back in 2005 (ha ha ha). I have regrets and just wanted to share that.
I hope you have the most fun writing. My little suggestions could be a spoof beach party book. . . or a female superhero with strong morales. I don’t know.
I hope you have fun and get excited writing. Writing is awesome.
“God is love”