Hi, all of you fabulous midlifers! Isn’t it great to know we’re in such good company? We don’t get older; we get BETTER! And I’ve had the chance to chat with quite a few of you this week – I know you agree!
I had one question pop up several times, so I thought I’d create a quick post about it.
Writers use all kinds of things to help them stay motivated. Even though you write for a living, a writer has to find some way to gain inspiration to write just a few more words.
I’m no different.
So of course, I take the advice of many writers before me and follow their actions.
We use anything we can to inspire us to “see” the story. And it can come in many ways.
The proverbial shower trick? Yep. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been sudsing my hair and thought: “That’s how I can connect these two pieces together.”
And I play music. LOTS of music. But I can’t have rock or pop on when I’m writing. Nope, I start singing along, and that’s a very bad thing when you’re trying to write. Occasionally I’ll know a song so well it becomes an inspiration instead. Then I no longer “hear” the words because it’s so familiar.
To play a song over and over and over again might drive some people mad. Not me. My Spotify playlists prove that. I have a different playlist for every book I write. Then when I’m really focused on writing a chapter, I hit play and listen over and over again.
Or sometimes only a video will do.
I love that song! And the video is pretty sexy too. Watch it several times and see what it does to your mood. 😉
Of course, there are photographs. Have you ever wandered around a stock photo site? Okay, I know that’s a little strange. Maybe it’s the photographer in me. But I use photos all the time. And Andrew simply can’t keep up with what I need for my posting habits online. So I’m a big fan of stock photography. I’ve purchased hundreds over the years. I many cases, I’ll pull up an image or two to get ideas.
And then there’s Google. I search ALL THE TIME.
When I needed inspiration for my latest book, The Coach, I started searching just like Tessa would. If she wants to stay in a hotel in Paris, where would she stay? This will do very nicely.
When she wanted to book a tour for her clients, I wanted to see what’s available. Doesn’t this look interesting?
And if I need ideas for places to stay, can you get any better than Airbnb?
As a writer, I write. It’s what I do. It’s what I love. And when I take a look at the world around me, it’s filled with inspiration.
That’s why I keep doing what I do. For you!
