OKAY... it's only ONE hour before the end of this bloghop! BAD MICHAEL! I honestly thought it ended tomorrow. SORRY CHARMAINE and all the rest of you.
I did however visit several of your blogs and tried some of the exercises. They were fun and helpful!
My LAST MINUTE exercises/thoughts are EXERCISE... Yup, I have written so much in my head while skirting the lake front in Chicago or coasting down the beach in Florida. GETTING out of the house and away from your computer really can open up your imaginations.
Communing with nature, even if you live in a city is an EXCELLENT way to get your creative juices flowing. Urban culture has AMAZING stimulants... Never underestimate your sense of smell. How about the bakery on the corner, fresh bread and muffins wafting your way. OR at lunch time with the sweet and cinnamony curry fragrance of middle eastern and Indian food. And the best of all ... that DELIGHTFUL eye awakening smell of freshly brewed coffee the first thing in the morning at your local Starbucks or neighborhood Java place. Oh, I can't WAIT until tomorrow morning.
Just imagine what you can discover in your neighborhood. Sparks can fly from any direction as long as we are open to them. Step out of your office and breathe in LIFE! Nothing can top that!
If you get a chance drop by Charmaine Clancy's site. She has a great follow up to the blog hop and you can still hop around and read some of the entries. They will certainly give you many fun and unusual ways to SPARK YOUR IMAGINATION!
If you are visiting form the IWSG... please scroll down.
Have a FANTASTIC WEEKEND everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!
20 comments:
You had me with the smell of a freshly brewed cup of coffee, lol!
I agree, stepping away from your desk--country or urban--and really taking in what's going on around you does stimulate your creativity. Life has a certain music to it, if listen. My sense of smell plays heavily into my creativity.
To touch a person's senses, when writing, first yours have to be involved. Seems simple doesn't it? Deceptively so. :-)
Sia McKye OVER COFFEE
Michael, you're gorgeous, you could have posted your prompt up next week and it would all still be good. I'm very big on not tying people to deadlines, we have enough in our lives!
I'm going to try your prompt, tomorrow after I tutor my students, I'll go for a walk around the neighbourhood, then I'll sit down and write :)
Michael, let's go for a walk in the city and get some dang inspiration together!! i'll even let you wear those tiny 90's running shorts.
That's why I've been enjoying the beach - new experiences.
I used to live in a city where there was this huge commercial bakery. I drove slowly by with my windows down. Even in winter.
Recently, I got a story idea walking in my hallway!
Great post and happy weekend :)
That's why we take a walk around the neighborhood almost every night. Our subdivision is a bit out in the country and there's a lot of wildlife around us. Plus I can be fascinated just by the cloud formations.
Every once in a while when I can find the time, I find some place new to go. Either a new town, or just a new pub or something. Always works!
I love walking around my neighborhood at night and glancing through windows as I walk by...lol, now I sound creepy....Ha ha ha! Have a great week-end Bro. I shall be making food for hotel guests as usual...there is probably a good story in that. How about a cook who usues a magic knife :)
What I want to know is if you're this expressive in real life! Like, do you talk about experiences as you're experiencing them? Are you thinking these fabulous descriptions as you pass by them? :-)
Just reading that paragraph about baked goods makes me *really* wish I wasn't gluten free, LOL... totally came to life!
Michael, communicating with nature helps me get the creative juices flowing. Even long walks help me think better.
Have a good weekend.
I always find walks inspiring, amazing what can be sparked when you open your mind to what's around you.
Have a great weekend, Michael. :)
Yes I so agree with you Michael, GETTING out of the house and away from your computer really can open up your imaginations and Communing with nature.
A children's author, Michelle Paver, was interviewed on Breakfast TV this morning and she walked up to a volcano, been charged by a mother lion protecting her cubs, lived to escape a mother bear protecting her cubs and uses the feelings, sounds etc in her action adventure novels.
Personal experiences are wonderful sparks!
Thanks, Michael!
Mary Montague Sikes
Cardinals, hawks, parakeets, crows, and vultures hang out in my neighborhood. Live in a nature's reserve.
Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly
I was there with you! I loooove coffee~ Yes, getting out of our shell and seeing the world opens our world~ Beautiful Michael :D
Thank you!
Hi Michael .. how true - I was along the coast this week to see an exhibition and an opera later on - the smell of the sea in Hastings as I walked along under the cliffs - reminded me of Cornwall and my childhood days ..
I do need to get off my backside a lot more .. enjoy those exercises as you pass through your city and town then the water's edge ..
Cheers - one is never lonely at the sea and sky .. Hilary
This is a wake-up call to me!
I need to get out more... and I live on the coast, a stone's throw away from the sea...
Writer In Transit
You are SO making me hungry! Great descriptions of wonderful smells, yumyumYUM! The sense of smell I've heard is the most powerful sense as far as memories. Very interesting. I've never thought of an urban setting as so stimulating before; thanks for the food for thought! (I mean, usually I hear of writers going on nature walks to be inspired.)
I totally agree that communing with nature can be amazing. I live in a city, or sort of just on the fringe of one, but we have pockets of "bushland" still in our city. And travelling in many directions away from the city leads you to some beautiful, inspirational landscape.
Congrats that you made this blog hop, Michael. I missed it, despite the preparations that I made for it.
It seems that Real-Life is getting too complicated to blog.
Best wishes,
Anna
of Adornments for Dreams (new name for 'Anna's Adornments')
Anna's ISWG for August: Dealing with Practical Problems
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