Burst out of the where-you-write box

Where do you write?

I suppose most writers have a desk, or a nook, or a room. Some of us have an office with a scenic view.

Break out

Throw the laptop in a backpack, or grab a pad of paper and a pen, and try writing at one of these outside-the-box locales.

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A cemetery

A local historical site

An old barn or run-down building

On the beach

Atop a mountain, or on a mountain trail

A local park

A museum

A dock

Next to a raging river or at a waterfall

Would you find inspiration at any of these places?

What’s your most productive place to write?

Inspiration from simple, every-day observations

As writers, we find inspiration from simple – even mundane – observations.

We might have a character that resembles the kooky guy at the coffee shop. Or a trait of another character that reminds us of a loved one. Perhaps one of your characters can juggle (as does my son).

We can memorialize others by creating short stories around their pleasures (like I did in “The Garden”) or writing of an event that gave us great joy (like “Mom and Bocelli”).

We can also do away with those that have wronged us (wait til ya see what I do to an ex in “Ruth Tees Off”).

Single events or commonplace observations can lead to inspiration – for our characters, stories, and our poetry.

For instance…

Three Shaved Heads

by Karen R. Sanderson

Military boys, all in a row.

One mature sergeant

And his two little clones.

Three shaved heads, all in a row.

Man, his boy, and his boy’s little bro.

First came a young boy,

Married so young.

One childlike man,

In an orderly row.

So there, that’s one.

Then came the first offspring,

They cuddle, side by side.

Two shaved heads,

In an orderly row.

So, then there were two.

Along came another boy,

Preemie and scared.

Later flourishing, strong.

The first two scoot over.

So, then there were three.

Three shaved heads, in an orderly row.

Add bling and panache to your writing space

On Friday, August 3, I posted A place for writing inspiration, making note of my poor writing space – it’s blah, completely uninspired, boring.

Do you need some ideas for decorating your writing space?

Here are some of the ideas posted on that blog by commenters DiAnne Ebejer, p.m. terrell, Abyrne Mostyn, Shawn MacKenzie, Jessica Pettengill Messinger, Tonia Marie Harris, Angie Ledbetter, J. J. Brown, Shirani Rajapakse, Susannah Friis, Kathryn Magendie, Elizabeth H. Cottrell, and Denise Hisey.

On or around the desk

Knick knacks (every time I say this, I want to add, “Paddy whack, give the dog a bone”) and mementos from family, friends, and vacations

Desktop image – use a themed picture to inspire you in your current project or change the image every day

A fresh flower or a silk flower in a vase

Seashells in a jar or dish

Print and hang colorful or inspiring images found on the internet

Colorful posters (use poster putty or popular non-marring wall hangers)

Hang a white board – draw new pictures on it every day

Tension rods – position them floor to ceiling, hang fishing line or wire between them, clip artwork, colorful fabric, family photos on the lines/wires

Postcards – buy them yourself or start an exchange program with friends and family

Hand-made objects from your kids

Colorful, lightweight fabric, sheets, or shower curtains tacked onto the molding to cover bland walls and spaces

Photos of family and friends – use ornate frames

Photos from vacations or day trips

Magnets!

Table cloth or colorful placemats on your desk

Decorative mouse pad (did you know you can have them custom made from your own photos at the local office store?)

Throw pillows, in bright colors and varied fabrics and textures

Throws on the couch, ottoman, chairs

Throw rugs

Faux fur – anywhere and everywhere

Unique rocks found on your walks

Plants and potted flowers

Room divider – tack/hang pictures, textiles, scarves, fabric swatches, or ornaments

Consider hanging wind chimes, dream catchers

String lights (no matter that there is no up-coming holiday)

Auditory and olfactory

Music – for background inspiration

Candles or scented-wax burners for olfactory inspiration

Bunches of fresh flowers

At, on, or outside the window

Window décor with suction cups or self-stick decals

Decorate the window sill

Window boxes with flowers

Lawn figurines

More wind chimes!

And, while stepping away from the desk

Take a walk in a garden, along a woodsy path, or in a downtown historic district or museum.

If you have a good view, sit outside with the laptop or with a pad of paper and a pen.

Take a camera for unexpected moments or scenes. Then print and paste the pictures in your personal space.

***

Karen S. Elliott was raised by a mother who wanted to be an English teacher and who worked for Merriam-Webster as a proofreader and an aunt who could complete the Sunday New York Times crossword in a day. Their favorite expression was, “Look it up!” Karen reads punctuation and grammar manuals for fun.

Karen is an editor and proofreader, blogger, and writer. Her short stories have been featured in The Rose & Thorn Journal, Every Child is Entitled to Innocence anthology, Valley Living Magazine, BewilderingStories.com, and WritingRaw.com.

A place for writing inspiration

Most boring blog photo ever

Great writing spaces

I read two blogs on the same day, within the same hour. I think the universe is trying to tell me something about my abysmal writing space.

Poet and songstress Laura LME on J.J. Brown’s blog. Laura writes at a cherry table that has been in the family for over 40 years and was once a part of her father’s studio. The table speaks to Laura – of powerful family memories and children’s laughter.

Author p.m. terrell often writes in a living room amongst bright pastel walls under the watchful eyes of her angel fish. From the desk in her office, she can see crepe myrtles, tea tree plants, gardenias, and rose bushes.

My view

Inside, the bland walls of my still-temporary housing surround me with virtually no color (except for my Phillies throw and a small collage). I am not allowed to put holes in the walls; tape won’t stick with anything heavier than a sticky note.

In front of me is a small window that looks out onto a rutted dirt and torn-up-asphalt road often full of construction and moving vehicles (trailers in, trailers out). The lawns I see are brown or weedy, some with heaps of churned up earth.

Around many of these temporary trailers are forlorn collections of personal items in a mish-mash of piles. Many temporary residents have taken to using loading-dock pallets to create walkways to combat the mud.

No wonder I’m not inspired!

A bright spot

Artist Angie Ledbetter sent me a hand-made collage last November. It’s the only bright spot in the place. It’s propped up on my fire extinguisher bracket.

Maybe I can use the cheesy crown molding

Perhaps I can use the cheesy crown molding to tack up some posters or hunks of brightly-colored material.

Any other ideas?

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Do you find inspiration in your home office, living room, or kitchen? Do you have a special desk or an item on your desk that provides inspiration? Do you go outside the home to find inspiration? What colors do you find inspirational?

***

Karen S. Elliott was raised by a mother who wanted to be an English teacher and who worked for Merriam-Webster as a proofreader and an aunt who could complete the Sunday NYT crossword in a day. Their favorite expression was, “Look it up!” Karen reads punctuation and grammar manuals for fun.

Karen is an editor and proofreader, blogger, and writer, and a fabulous grandmother. She edits fiction and non-fiction including: sci-fi, fantasy, children’s, mystery, paranormal, western, horror, literary, historical, and journalism. Karen completed her writing coursework through UCLA and University of New Mexico, and was the winner of the SouthWest Writers 2009 Writing Contest – The Best Hook. Her writing has been featured in The Rose & Thorn Journal, Every Child is Entitled to Innocence anthology, Valley Living Magazine, BewilderingStories.com, and WritingRaw.com. She is currently working on collections of short stories and poetry.