-Lisa
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Friday, May 23, 2014
Inspiration
I got an email today amongst my many emails that I never read. This one was from a writing blog I subscribed to a while ago. The subject line for this particular email read "You should be writing..." to which I immediately thought "I know, I know." I opened the email, though, which I only do once in a blue moon. The basis of the email was that they were asking people to submit things that inspired them to write. I didn't submit anything, but I did start thinking about what inspires me.
There are a lot of different things that inspire me to write, and some of it depends on what mood I'm in. One of the things I thought of while looking at this email was that being really tired tends to inspire me to write. I wonder if maybe that happens because I stop thinking about what is reasonable or rational or what will sound good, and I just write. This is slightly problematic, however, because by the time I'm halfway through with what I'm writing I can barely keep my eyes open and I would much rather go to sleep than finish whatever scene I'm working on. Despite this, it does have at least one added bonus. Usually when I write like this I'm so tired my eyes are practically closed and after I'm done I immediately turn my light off and fall asleep. The awesome part of this is that when I wake up I remember that I've written something, but I don't remember what it was so I re-read the things I wrote the previous night as if I'd never seen them before. Which is quite helpful in the editing process.
Another thing that inspires me is being in different places. Whenever I'm on a long road trip, I find myself journalling pages at a time without a problem, which is not something I can normally do without smacking myself multiple times and saying "YOU NEED TO WRITE SOMETHING SO YOUR BRAIN DOESN'T FALL OUT." or something equally dramatic. But when I'm away from home, I find writing inspiration everywhere. I don't even have to be that far away. I can walk down my street to Panera and be much more motivated there than I am at my own kitchen table. Part of it might be a new environment where I more alert than I am often at home. But that's just my working hypothesis.
I also love to people-watch. People are just so interesting to me. And sometimes someone I see will stick out to me as a fascinating person. Whether they really are or not, I'm intrigued by them and I make these elaborate back stories in my head about what they're like and what they do for a living and I sort of take these real people I meet and make them into characters in my head. I start thinking about whether this person/character would like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and if they prefer to drive with the windows down or the AC on. Just little things that make up characters. It's good exercise for my brain.
What inspires your hobby? Is there anything that anti-inspires you? (aka gives you the whatever-your-hobby-is version of writer's block.)
Until next time inspiration strikes,
Lisa
There are a lot of different things that inspire me to write, and some of it depends on what mood I'm in. One of the things I thought of while looking at this email was that being really tired tends to inspire me to write. I wonder if maybe that happens because I stop thinking about what is reasonable or rational or what will sound good, and I just write. This is slightly problematic, however, because by the time I'm halfway through with what I'm writing I can barely keep my eyes open and I would much rather go to sleep than finish whatever scene I'm working on. Despite this, it does have at least one added bonus. Usually when I write like this I'm so tired my eyes are practically closed and after I'm done I immediately turn my light off and fall asleep. The awesome part of this is that when I wake up I remember that I've written something, but I don't remember what it was so I re-read the things I wrote the previous night as if I'd never seen them before. Which is quite helpful in the editing process.
Another thing that inspires me is being in different places. Whenever I'm on a long road trip, I find myself journalling pages at a time without a problem, which is not something I can normally do without smacking myself multiple times and saying "YOU NEED TO WRITE SOMETHING SO YOUR BRAIN DOESN'T FALL OUT." or something equally dramatic. But when I'm away from home, I find writing inspiration everywhere. I don't even have to be that far away. I can walk down my street to Panera and be much more motivated there than I am at my own kitchen table. Part of it might be a new environment where I more alert than I am often at home. But that's just my working hypothesis.
I also love to people-watch. People are just so interesting to me. And sometimes someone I see will stick out to me as a fascinating person. Whether they really are or not, I'm intrigued by them and I make these elaborate back stories in my head about what they're like and what they do for a living and I sort of take these real people I meet and make them into characters in my head. I start thinking about whether this person/character would like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and if they prefer to drive with the windows down or the AC on. Just little things that make up characters. It's good exercise for my brain.
What inspires your hobby? Is there anything that anti-inspires you? (aka gives you the whatever-your-hobby-is version of writer's block.)
Until next time inspiration strikes,
Lisa
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
The End
I find it kind of ironic to start out a new blog with the post called "The End." But then I've always been a fan of artistic irony. I decided it was about time to start a new blog, for a few reasons. One, because my old one was under a different email address and since Google and Blogger are now linked, it was a pain in the butt switching accounts all the time. Two, because the old one was feeling a bit cluttered to me. I mean I've had it since 2009. It was time. And three, because I've hit a period of great change and I decided that deserves a new blog.
Tomorrow is my last day as a senior in high school and that's insanely weird to me. I've started having a lot of "lasts" and I don't know how to process it all. Mid-April, I had my last high school play. Yesterday was my last dance class. Tomorrow is my last day of school. Later on this summer will be my last piano lesson, my last day of d-group, my last day of work. I don't think it's quite sunken in yet.
On a positive note, I'm very very excited to go to college. It seems like my roommate and I are going to get along really well. I've picked a tentative major. I'm super close to turning in my transcript (after tomorrow, actually, when I'm officially graduated) and scheduling my classes.
As exciting as it is, though, it's also intimidating. I've never really had this big of a change happen to me. I've never lived anywhere else but Cincinnati before. I haven't even moved around Cincinnati; I've lived in the same house my whole life. I've never been away from my parents for more than a week. I barely even do my own laundry. College is going to be an adjustment.
So here's to an end. I always hate endings, but they always happen so there's really nothing to do but accept it and make the best of it. And to look forward to the things I've got going for me in the future.
Lisa
Tomorrow is my last day as a senior in high school and that's insanely weird to me. I've started having a lot of "lasts" and I don't know how to process it all. Mid-April, I had my last high school play. Yesterday was my last dance class. Tomorrow is my last day of school. Later on this summer will be my last piano lesson, my last day of d-group, my last day of work. I don't think it's quite sunken in yet.
On a positive note, I'm very very excited to go to college. It seems like my roommate and I are going to get along really well. I've picked a tentative major. I'm super close to turning in my transcript (after tomorrow, actually, when I'm officially graduated) and scheduling my classes.
As exciting as it is, though, it's also intimidating. I've never really had this big of a change happen to me. I've never lived anywhere else but Cincinnati before. I haven't even moved around Cincinnati; I've lived in the same house my whole life. I've never been away from my parents for more than a week. I barely even do my own laundry. College is going to be an adjustment.
So here's to an end. I always hate endings, but they always happen so there's really nothing to do but accept it and make the best of it. And to look forward to the things I've got going for me in the future.
Lisa
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