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I've been creative writing all my life, though with various haitus(es) along the way. IFrom 2010 I started this blog and enjoyed sharing writing and other information with everyone. illness and bereavement supplied the more recent hiatus.

Thursday, 1 August 2013

My Imagination Sparks when...

This Blogfest is hosted by Charmaine Clancy
Brief: We all know at least one good warm up exercise to get our brain geared up and ready to write; the one creative task that gets our imagination bubbling with ideas. 
Share them and try each others' out.
Okay so I have some ideas

First: Natalie Goldberg’s 'Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within' suggests using scrappy notebooks, so that a writer feels less inhibited about what they write. 
This is excellent advice for me, as a pristine, 'posh' notebook calls for pristine posh writing right?  Okay so now you have the note book sorted...
Have you ever tried Free Writing

It’s like surfing your mind with the thoughts spilling out onto the page like waves. Somewhere amongst the foam and buffeting surf boards will be your story idea.  
A FREEWRITE is whatever flows from your mind through your pen in 10 -15 mins. If you have a topic heading, maybe a Competition Challenge Theme, then you can use it as a Word Association Cue as your 'Focused' Free write prompt.

Random thoughts are allowed, it’s part of freeing up your writing senses. Let the words flow freely, you can switch from subject to subject without worrying about spelling, grammar or punctuation

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 
Also sitting at home can make you stale. Go Out and getting stimulation/ ideas. A railway journey really gets my juices
flowing or a wonderful walk.



Do a chore: Ironing seems to make my brain think better!

Read a Book or a Poem, a magazine or a newspaper. Listen to the radio. All ways to find that little gem for a piece of writing or even a whole novel! 

Also I have started reading Writing and Selling your novel which suggests that one must set a writing target for every day not in hours but in pages or words to get your writing juices flowing.

What sparks you?



17 comments:

  1. My brain definitely wakes up when I read the morning paper! Take care
    x

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  2. Lots of wonderful inspiration! I'm a visual learner, so watching movies or plays really inspires me to write.

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  3. I've never tried free writing but I know people who swear by it. It's meant to be a really good way of unlocking your 'voice'.

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  4. I like your idea of just letting your mind run wild for a few minutes. Will have to try that one...

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  5. Hello Maddy. I left a comment in your previous post too.

    I love the idea of freewriting, but I rarely do it. When I do, it's rubbish, but I think that it is supposed to be up to a point.

    I once read that you should write before you're properly awake each morning, so your subconscious can write before your brain/editor kicks in Apparently some writers have found this an amazingly creative exercise.

    Thanks for your great post. Mine's up also.

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  6. Excellent advice! Although I do know about freewriting, I don't do it as much as I should!

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  7. Thanks for the tip. I had heard about Freewrite, though I tried it for a few days, I could not sustain it for long. Will try it again.

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  8. Old Kitty LOL! yes that is a great reference for stories too.

    Denise, yes I have heard about that too, though it is slightly different from free-writing.

    Kate, Melanie, Charmaine, Rachna yes try again it's a little like word association and from it you can achieve a different perspective on a theme.

    Emily, well you are in good company since Suzanne Collins was channel hopping when she got her idea for Hunger Games.

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  9. I miss my f-t-f writers group because we did free writing before any other business. Some of those writing sparked longer projects. And my brain thinks differently with pen and pad as opposed to flying fingers across a keyboard.

    I do housework when I'm stuck with a WIP. It lets me keep busy and allow my mind to wander and speculate with the chore of writing it all down perfectly.

    Good ideas Maddy :)

    ......dhole

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    Replies
    1. Yes you were very active in the group. I hope you are able to join in the new group too.
      I tend to use pen and pad hen I am away from the computer, though I find typing makes my fingers fly more, as my brain with handwriting works faster than I can write sometimes!

      Yes housework does free the mind doesn't it? x

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  10. I like the idea of a "scrappy" (crappy?) notebook; I use composition books, under $2 at Staples. Definitely less intimidating!

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    1. $2 notebook sounds ideal. I confess I love fresh new notebooks with the promise of what is to come...

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  11. Sounds like a great idea and we do need to let our imagination run at times.

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  12. Free Writing sounds exactly like something I need. Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Yes i found it liberating. let us know how it works for you.

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