As writers, we all know how a great book, poem or movie can be inspiring - how something that touches us or stirs us in some way can spark off new inspiration, or just firm up our desire to write and accomplish our dreams.
But there are other things that inspire us that are very personal and unique. Here are some of mine:
* building frames for houses - there is something about seeing a new house, seeing its bones and imagining what it will become, that inspires me
* a great singer (two of my favourites are Tina Arena and George Michael) - the sound of an amazing voice reaching perfect notes is astounding to me, and energises me
* crickets and cicadas - on a hot summer day, cicadas in chorus are ear-splittingly wonderful, and when I go for a walk at dusk and hear crickets in the grass singing at similar ear-splitting levels, and then think about how small they are, that amazes me
* people who simply inspire because they care and want to share their thoughts, and hope that you will gain something good from reading them - Julius Lester and Craig Harper are examples that spring to mind right now
* a terrific football (rugby union) player, Chris Jack, who is fascinating to watch in action because you can literally see him thinking, analysing, acting, moving - he is able to be in the play all the time, and be extremely effective, because of this ability - it's uncanny to watch
* people who don't give up, and who really do understand it's up to them and nobody else - seeing them achieve great things in any walk of life is wonderful (even better when you know them personally)
Those are some of mine, weird though they may seem! What about yours?
4 comments:
Music? Yes, of course! For some reason, it's 70s British music (punk and New Romantics) and 80s Australian and New Zealand music. (And country when I'm in the bush. But I might not admit to that.) A musical phrase, a lyric ...
People. Obviously. Friends, bloggers, screenplay writers (Steven Moffat at the moment), poets and novelists … good and bad. The good ones spur me to write well. The bad ones remind me that persistence pays off.
Nature close up. The joy is in the detail.
Tropical rainforests. They force me to write. I can't do anything about it. Might as well not even try to resist.
Road trips. Me, the open road and a stack of CDs. I've imagined entire novels between the Murray and the Queensland border. Only problem is, no free hands to write them down. Must get a recorder.
(Not sure about the verification: fujdrzit. Seems to sum up my day.)
What inspires me? Disengaging my mind in the backyard swing, walking around the pond and spying turtles sunning, enjoying nature.
My grandkids! They remind me how to have fun, how to use my imagination, how to get down to the ground and see the fascinating world that lives on their eye level, how to get deliriously excited about things like a bowl of popcorn all your own. 8-)
Rain on the roof--like now--although it can inspire me to nap as often as write!
The sound of tree-peeper frogs in the spring. (Not sure if that's what they're really called-- but it's the one inspiration I'm longing for right now!) And generous people. And persistence, among other things.
Yes, road trips - but you have to be alone! With your favourite road music up loud.
And rain on the roof. That reminds me of being a kid - too many houses where I live have concrete tile roofs and no noise. You need a tin roof!
Love to know what tree-peeper frogs sound like.
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