The Room of Inspiration

It is here that I ask you to take some time out of your busy lives - even if its just a ten minute tea break - find a comfortable spot, have paper and pen at the ready and take part in one of these inspiration exercises.

1. Out and About?

This is an exercise that can be done in any busy/public space - the busier the better! A cafe or pub is usually a prime location as this task involves the act of eavesdropping...

Take out your notebook and pen and just absorb the sounds around you. Make a note of everything as it happens: a door opening, the clink of cutlery, a milk steamer, the smell of coffee and, of course, the conversations of others. Note down their words as you hear them - however fragmented, it doesn't matter if you dont catch whole sentences or conversations. Observe natural pauses and repetition. Once you feel you have gathered enough information and atmosphere, stop. At a time convenient to you, revisit the scene and with the collected dialogue and observations, let your characters continue the conversation and see where they take you...

This exercise is particularly effective for character development and convincing natural dialogue.



2. Gathering Memories

This exercise is one to do at home in a comfortable space, alone and in peace and quiet. Most of you will have photo albums or boxes containing photos from holidays, of family, friends, etc. The photos I want you to pick out are the pictures of places, rather than people, snaps of views, interiors - spaces that were or still are significant to you. It's important to remember that some of these pictures may trigger strong emotions and although this can bring forth some of the best pieces, make sure that you feel able enough to explore this and have supportive people around if you need them.

Now that you have a selection of photographs in front of you, I want you to pick three and lay them out in front of you. Take five or ten minutes to let them 'speak' to you. Jot down any words that come to mind. Think about how old you were when the picture was taken, the smell of the place, was it warm or cold, why did you take the photograph; or even, were you present and if not, who took the picture and why is it so significant to you now? Can you go back now or is it a place no longer accessible? How does that make you feel? Once you think you have finished, stop. Then pick out six key words and use them as a springboard for your piece and see where the memory takes you.

This exercise can encourage some truely astounding pieces of writing as it taps into the core of personal experience, vivid imagery, evoking a strong sense of returning to that time and place.

3. Journal Activity: Writing the Day Out

On a fresh page write the words: 'TODAY I' and then continue by writing anything and everything that has happened to you that day, letting your mind flow through the day's events. Write for about ten minutes without stopping. It doesn't matter how dull or uneventful it has been - just get it down onto the page!

There are a couple of things that this exercise is useful for: Firstly, I like to begin most workshops with this exercise as its a great way of leaving the baggage and general grind of the day behind to release the mind and make room for the creative activities. Its a great way of de-cluttering! It can also coax out some surprising and interesting thoughts which can then be used as stimulation for a creative piece. However you decide to use it, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

4. Turning rubbish into valuable nuggets...

 Have you ever put on a winter coat a year on and reached into your pockets only to find a bundle of faded bus tickets or reciepts? What do you do with them, throw them away? Well, before you do...
For those of you who build up a collection of old reciepts and bus/train tickets in your pockets, bags or purses this is an excellent one for you.

Pick out one reciept from your purse and make a note of the date, time, contents of the list and let the mind flow: where were you going? What did you buy and why? How were you feeling at the time?

If you choose to use a bus or train ticket consider the following: where were you going? Why were you travelling? Where had you come from? What was the weather like? How were you feeling?

This is an excellent exercise for gathering and recalling vivid and poignant memories, so think twice before you head to the bin - you never know what might come out of it...  



Happy Writing!