Writing every day requires coming up with ideas. Every day. Some days, the thoughts flow freely. Other days, it's like pulling teeth.
I've discovered that I can't wait for my Muse to whisper in my ear and feed me images and ideas for my writing. She seems to be a fickle thing, frequently disappearing in a puff of smoke and taking long vacations without leaving a note or telling me when she'll return.
Over the years, I've learned to stop waiting for her and seek inspiration for my writing in other places.
One of main sources of material--sensory details, images, emotions--comes from Nature. I'm a (nearly) daily hiker, and I find that paying attention to the natural world while I hike (or sometimes jog) the trails, taking time to note the different textures, the smells, the colors and images, the sounds, the way the air feels on my skin, nourishes both my soul and my writing.
In fact, Nature gives me everything I need, if I only open my senses to it.
Normally, I hike every morning and often again in the afternoon or evening when my work day is done. I thought I'd share some photos from a morning hike last week. These are from the trail by the reservoir by my house, and the location and natural elements found there make frequent appearances in my poetry and prose.
That morning, the hills were a radiant red because of the way the rising sunlight reflected on them, and the moon a glowing white ball in a brilliant blue sky.
Of course, the photos don't do the real-world images justice. But I'm sharing them with the hope that by doing so, I can offer a taste of Nature's inspiration with you.
You could use one or more of these photos as a poetry or short story prompt, or simply use them when adding description to a piece. Let me know if you decide to incorporate one!
And I'd love to hear about what inspires you. Feel free to share in the comments, or message me directly!
Happy writing!
