Hello, my lovely Creators!
Recently I have come to realize that it is true what they say about writing every day. It is a habit that all writers should form and it is one that I have not been practicing myself. However, I do wonder if those that give this advice even follow it. Does Stephen King write every single day of his life? Did Charlotte Brontë write every day? Perhaps some writers have that moment where they say, “I just don’t feel like it today.”
I have heard other people say things like, “Don’t wait for inspiration.” I just cannot subscribe to that idea. There always has to be some sort of inspiration. It is not about waiting to write until inspiration comes along, I think it is more of knowing what triggers it for you. Lately, I have been looking for those triggers. The only way I know how to trigger the inspiration is by using my senses.
Sometimes I listen to music, especially music by Michele McLaughlin or a new favorite, Luna Magica by Piano Pacifico. For some reason, this music is my biggest trigger. Even playing the same song over and over at a loud volume tends moves things along. I think it has something to do with the repeating patterns. If it is a song that I have played repeatedly I already know what it sounds like, there are no surprises. For me, it blocks everything out, but at the same time, it keeps me focused on what I am doing. It also became one of the best ways to help me study when I was in school.
Other times it is a memory of a smell or a feeling that can be just the right kind of inspiration. When it rains, everything just smells better. I have noticed that the air does not smell the same here in Arizona when it rains as it does when it rains back home in Texas. Even though both places are basically in the desert, things still smell differently. I am not sure what it is, it just does not smell quite like home to me. Things like that bring out memories and emotions from a specific time in my life that feeds my imagination.
If you are struggling to write and feel like you have some blockage, you might give this a try. Practice with something small like a 100 word story. Write about something you remember that can trigger you with smell, taste, or sound. Do whatever helps the words move more smoothly for you.
Tell me, for other bloggers out there, what helps you get the words flowing?
For this piece, I used a writing prompt that allowed me to use my technique for specific triggers. It helped me to focus my thoughts and pull together my writing of this memory. Please have a read and comment if you desire to do so. Thanks!
The smell of rain on dry earth always made her think of her childhood. It wasn’t about playing kickball outside with neighborhood boys, tearing up the grass on the way to second base. It wasn’t about the wet ground making it impossible to slide into home without a face full of mud. It was about lying on a bedroom floor, the sliding door wide open. The air would carry in what was left of a Texas storm. The thunder in the distance would rumble a slow vibration throughout the floor of a second story house. It reminded her of home.
For a bonus, I’m going to add something else I worked on the other day. I hope you enjoy it.
With a steady hand, I pushed each poisonous thorn deeper into her arm. It was so easy; they slid through the skin as easily as a surgeon’s knife. Licking my lips, I studied her skin, imagining the poison making its way slowly through her veins. I hoped she could feel something as the poison did its job while she slept. Maybe a light sting that would intensify while she lay there locked in her body, unable to move. Every second ticking by was another second of her life slipping away. By morning everything would be better, and she’ll be gone.
100 Words A Story 