Writer’s Inspiration

Writing is, by its very nature, is a solitary pursuit; a writer spends many hours thinking and then putting pen to paper, or these days fingers to keyboard, alone. However, good writing must touch the collective human soul in order to speak to people. And that can only come from experiencing the world.

“Experiencing” can come in many forms.

I have a friend who is a world traveler. She believes true experiencing can only happen while being in different places. I have another friend who just gave up her TV. She believes watching the tube takes you away from true human contact. I have another friend who thinks fiction is worthless as far as touching the human soul goes. I could go on, but you get the idea.

As a writer, I have indeed included bits of actual conversations, visions from visiting new places, and had non fiction inspire me. However….I’ve also been jolted by television programs, fiction, and reading about foreign places. This can be awe inspiring or mundane; I was totally blown away by reading Stephen Hawking’s latest comments on aliens, but I also have gathered inspiration from TV programs such as Say Yes To The Dress. After all, I am no more familiar with different planets than I am with choosing a 5000 dollar wedding dress.

Would going to New York and fingering those gowns give my writing more realism? Is talking to people more authentic than reading fictional conversations? Does reading a book engage your mind more than TV? I don’t believe one activity is better than another, as far as writing goes. Or anything else, for that matter. Every activity you do employs a different part of the brain. All are equally valid for a writer’s inspiration, hobbies, or just whiling away the day. You just have to decide what is valid to you.

Writers are imaginative. We don’t have to visit somewhere to create a story about it, even though traveling types might wince. And we gather inspiration from many sources, even something as berated as the television.

Now if you’ll excuse me, What Not To Wear is on. Those hosts could be a basis of a number of characters, I’m thinking. Especially Stacey. She’s so much like the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland. Off with her bad outfits!! Shut up. :-)