In the Beginning, part one “Getting Started”

The “In the Beginning” series of articles are my thoughts on the information I wished someone had shared me when I first started writing professionally. The first part of this series on the craft of writing is called “Getting Started," and it’s all about gathering your ideas and seeking inspiration. As I will often say, this is my way of doing things and will not always work for everyone, but I can only hope those who read these articles can glean something to help them in their creative journey.

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There are many places you can find an idea for your story. People watching is a great way to be inspired. Whether in a coffee shop, a train station, even a neighborhood park within the daily lives of what seem on the surface as fairly normal folks can be hidden a spark to a juicy story idea. I’ve heard a tidbit of conversation waiting at a gate lobby for my plane and it’s sent ideas tumbling through my head faster than I could write the thoughts down. The bottom line is be open, and always, I mean ALWAYS, carry a notebook and pen, tape recorder, anything to record the ideas. They will come when least expected and when you are worst prepared. Don’t let your muse catch you off guard.

A dream journal is a crucial piece of equipment for the author who has vivid dreams as I do. As soon as you wake in the morning (or whenever your waking time falls) write down any bits of your dreams you can remember. The images of the subconscious world can fade quickly, so don’t waste a moment. You never know when your muse may have sent you that perfect story. The last thing you want is to lose that gift as the dreams grow fainter in a short time.

Along with dreams, come those moments of quiet during your day when you feel yourself drift into your thoughts, the daydream. Take as much time as your schedule allows to reward yourself with the freedom to give into the urge to daydream. Not only will you find fuel for your stories, but the relaxing creative time will do your emotional state good as well. Think of it as a mild meditation, a time for the stress of your day to be cast off like the hull of a seed so the idea inside can grow unhindered by its weight.

Speaking of harvesting the seeds of ideas, here another thing I’ve found useful for scheduling my writing projects. Know your inner cycle. This means pay attention to what times of the day, week, month, even year you feel most productive. Once you are keyed into your internal creative calendar you will find the writing will flow easier. You don’t want to work against your own psyche. If you get blockage when you try to write late at night or very early in the morning don’t do it then. You’ll only frustrate yourself and cause the blockage to tighten more. For example, I find Autumn into early Winter to be my most productive writing time, so I set aside extra personal time around that time of year and plan the submission calls with deadlines in the upcoming year for those months on my calendar.

Don’t be afraid to try something new. If you can afford to travel do so as much as possible to as many different types of places as you can manage. Whether it’s a state park or a trip to Celtic ruins, you’ll be amazed what a change of scenery can do for your creative juju. Learn new skills whenever the opportunity presents itself. Sure, it won’t make you an expert on what you are learning, but an eclectic mental inventory of skills can be very useful when crafting a story. Don’t discount any experiences or knowledge you process. You never know what will serve you when you create.

Make new friends. What you don’t know, your friend might. As long as you ask nicely and always give credit where it’s due, most people are perfectly happy to share what they are passionate about. Research may sound like a drag to some folks, but if you know the right people and plan your questions effectively you can turn a research session into a fun luncheon or enjoyable phone conversation.

Read. I can’t stress this enough. Your chosen genre, other genres, novels, short stories, anything you can get your hands on that seems interesting. Just read it. Not just for research, but for enjoyment and inspiration. There are so many wonderful authors out there whose unique styles and story concepts could be the key to unlock the story waiting inside your own mind. As much as I love TV, nothing matches the charge you can get allowing yourself to slip into a good tale.

There we go. I hope that some of these suggestions will help you kick your block free and flow with your own creativity more easily. Perhaps these ideas will spark new ones of your own, and if so I invite you to share those here with us. Next time during part two in the “In the Beginning” series we’ll talk about setting up a solid foundation for your story. See you next time!