Both of my previous posts this week were free writes. There’s something pretty special about starting with a blank screen and ending up with a piece of writing. The randomness is probably what I love best as its like a little window into my muse’s world. I guess we never know what’s hiding inside of our minds unless we provide an open door from which the words can flow.
I find I am most inspired by images. I suppose this is why so much of my poetry and free verse lines are accompanied by photographs. Sometimes I wonder if I’d be writing poetry if I didn’t have my camera with me all the time! Between pictures taken at home and those taken while traveling, I’m always inspired and amazed by the world around me.
When I’m working on larger projects like a novel, I usually start my writing session with a free write to get my muse juices flowing. It’s almost like the words in my heads need to stretch just like my muscles before I go for a run.
Recently, as work continues to be busy and I feel like I’m being pulled in too many directions, I find solace in the free write. Every evening I look forward to my few minutes to just be still and find the story or creative expression hiding inside of me. It’s often surprising how the words come together – some pieces of joyful, while others are dark and gritty. Perhaps we really are made up of a million different pieces in all different shapes and shades.
After a very stressful week, I can honestly say free writes are my favorite thing this week. They remind me what matters and what really doesn’t in the wide, wide world around me.
Give it a try. Here’s an image to get you started:
Photo by: c.b.w.
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What’s your favorite thing this week?
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c.b.w. 2014
C.B. Wentworth 
Great photo. Free writes are so much fun and I often forget to do them. My favorite thing this week is the desert. It’s just so beautiful.
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WIG taught me the beauty of free writes. 🙂
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Yes, I agree with my whole heart and must, too…on many levels…I enjoyed your thought behind the idea of “free-write.”
Excellent image to inspire…thank you!
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I hope you find some lovely words to fit that beautiful cottage! 🙂
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It’s been a while since I indulged in free writing. Perhaps something to do with those images I find on Pinterest that fascinate me but don’t (yet) have a place in my stories. And thanks for the picture to get us started! I know what I’ll be doing Saturday afternoon, once the planting is finished. : )
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I’ve got a board just for images that inspire me. One of these days, I’ll actually write for one of them. 🙂
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Here a tree bends to the deliberate stone; inside dull and clumsy knives, forks, spoons are set for breakfast.
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What a lovely story for those walls! 🙂
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Yes, I agree, just writing whatever comes to mind can be really fascinating! I opened a new Tumblr poetry blog recently to try something like that, and also to some extent pretend I was someone other than my usual self, it’s amazing what has come out of it! Tumblr is a good place to experiment with that, there isn’t quite so much commenting going on, so I feel more free to write about certain subjects that I might be concerned that some might not know what to say in a comment on WordPress. It’s nice not to have to think about that aspect, more like a novel I guess – your readers don’t have to struggle to find the words on what they feel! 🙂
And I know what you mean about images being inspiring, I find that too, and sometimes music. It’s all creative, feeding even more creative! 🙂
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Music is an incredible source of inspiration for me. I’ve written about it many times as I make a playlist for just about every larger piece I write. Very often certain songs help me shape a character or reveal a secret about them I didn’t know. I love it when that happens!
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