Pretty much the animals in my front yard have divided the areas among themselves. The squirrels have claimed the open areas of the lawn and the trees. The chipmunks skitter along the flowerbeds and under the plants. But today there was a chipmunk with an identity crisis. As I was watching this one little critter decided to pretend he was a squirrel and tried to climb the tree. He actually got about three feet up the tree trunk.
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I could go on and develop this as a story. I might yet do that, but the object of the few paragraphs is that by observing what is around you a variety of stories open themselves up. A lot of materials I gather come from observing either people or things.
One of my favorite tactics is to take myself out to dinner and take my notebook. Not long ago I overheard snippets of conversation about a cruise, how they got seasick, the people they traveled with and the snobbishness of one of those returning. She was telling her fellow diners how she had been to their destination before and how she had made sure her traveling companions went to all the right places and saw the right sights.
Not long ago I went up to the discount mall a few miles from home. I got there a bit early and sat in my car and watched the potential shoppers. From watching how they waited, patiently or not, I got a poem from the situation.
Even if you don't know the entire story, you can develop one for any given scenario. I might take the story of the chipmunk from its point of view and talk about his frustration about being confined to the ground. It might become a story of aspiration or futility...I don't know, yet. But I have observed and noted an anomaly that will work its way into a story.
Observing what is around you is a great way to gather inspiration for writing.
I could go on and develop this as a story. I might yet do that, but the object of the few paragraphs is that by observing what is around you a variety of stories open themselves up. A lot of materials I gather come from observing either people or things.
One of my favorite tactics is to take myself out to dinner and take my notebook. Not long ago I overheard snippets of conversation about a cruise, how they got seasick, the people they traveled with and the snobbishness of one of those returning. She was telling her fellow diners how she had been to their destination before and how she had made sure her traveling companions went to all the right places and saw the right sights.
Not long ago I went up to the discount mall a few miles from home. I got there a bit early and sat in my car and watched the potential shoppers. From watching how they waited, patiently or not, I got a poem from the situation.
Even if you don't know the entire story, you can develop one for any given scenario. I might take the story of the chipmunk from its point of view and talk about his frustration about being confined to the ground. It might become a story of aspiration or futility...I don't know, yet. But I have observed and noted an anomaly that will work its way into a story.
Observing what is around you is a great way to gather inspiration for writing.
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1 comment:
I too, consider myself an observer. It's easier doing it in nature. I haven't tried it at a mall yet. Once I did sit near the door at Wal-mart. I was doing an expieriment on making eye contact with everyone. The ONLY persons who made eye contact were the kids! Maybe thats why I drive a school bus, gotta love those kids!
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