Monday 16 September 2013

Looking for inspiration...

Something different for Hawksword - I have a guest blogger! Meet Richard (that's his Sunday name), who has leapt manfully into the breach to rescue my floundering blog from the doldrums it had fallen into, with appropriately enough, a little piece on inspiration! Take it away, Dickie...

My Creative Muse

When Denise asked me to write something for her blog I had to think long and hard (easy tiger) about what I would write because I knew I was going to have to prove to her that I can discuss subjects without the superfluous use of innuendo!

To those of you who don’t know me I am an aspiring author and when I’m not writing over at my blog Not A Domestic God , I’m bashing out the corrections of my debut novel, so when asked if I would write something by Denise, I began thinking about how I work, particularly with regard to my writing. There is a theme that runs through al of it, and it’s something that I have done since my time at University, and that is setting up office anywhere but my desk in my room, or home, I have even been known to sit with my laptop on my knee on a long bus journey. 

I was not always this way inclined, when I was younger, and there was all the initial excitement about JK Rowling, and the news reports showed those clips of her writing in a secluded corner of a café, I like many people I know thought ‘God what pretentious cow’, but here I am about ten years later doing exactly the same thing.  I have realised that while me and JK have completely different reasons for writing outside of the home, we both have valid enough reasons for doing so.

I don’t have a child; therefore I am unable to reason that I have to take a child out for a walk to be able to get her to sleep, and it is only when the said child is asleep that I can “carpe diem” and write my masterpiece.  In my case it is a fully conscious decision to write in café’s, pubs, and libraries (yes I go to libraries I love the smell of books, especially an old book). 

What I discovered from an early age was that at home there are many distractions; television, chores that need to be completed, reading and a mother who doesn't understand that to turn my writing from a hobby into an actual business I need to have time to write and not to be distracted by multiple requests for me to make coffee, and locate her various stationary or electrical goods.

I suppose the second reason I write elsewhere is that being able to watch people, affords me the luxury of ‘accidentally’ overhearing their conversation and observing their behaviour, which stimulates that niggling part of my brain that makes me ask What If?  In turn it is these questions that often prompts me to write.

When/if I start to find myself flagging what I do is pack my laptop into my backpack and move onto the next café, or walk around in the fresh air (if it’s not too rainy) and then return (hopefully to get to the seat near the socket) to the same café and carry on from where I left off.  

The world is an interesting place and I think in the future when I'm a huge glittering successful author (go ahead laugh) that I will call the world my muse. I find life intrinsically beautiful and interesting and it is from life that I draw my inspiration. As a writer I love to explore the relationships that humans form with each other. Sounds utter baloney doesn't it? Maybe it is, but I do find people fascinating.

I love hearing about other writers and the way they write, so if you want to you can either follow my blog (greatly appreciated) or follow me on Twitter @dickiebird123 . 




3 comments:

  1. I can completely identify with "accidentally overhearing their conversation and observing their behaviour".

    They say everyone has a book in them -- I think I might have, one day, but for now I am an a visual vacuum.

    I've jotted down many an idea for characters based on people I observe. I once sat on a train (in first class) for a three hour journey and developed a set of characters based on my six unassuming travel victims. I listened to their chatter on the phone, or watched their mannerism. It was fascinating.

    All the while they must have thought I was very industrious on my laptop, whereas I was actually writing a saucy profile about each of them.

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    1. Trains are excellent places for observing people. Though I have never had the joy of first class passengers!

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    2. Yes I agree!! I love a train!! :) xxx

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