Thursday, March 29, 2012

How My New Environment Helps My Writing

It isn't every day you get to watch a movie in a theatre built almost 120 years ago, unless you're living in a small town where the clock ticks slower.  We watched "Hunger Games" in style, sitting in an upper balcony of a room with extra high ceilings and a state-of-the-art sound system.

There is something about my new small-town environment that invigorates my senses.  Every morning, I hear the train coming through Washington, Iowa, sounding it's horn the same way it did over a century ago.  My new surroundings help me to write about my main character who goes on a journey in search of his roots.  It helps that time stands still where I'm now living.  I have two or three twilight zone moments every day.  I feel like all five of my senses are alive in a new way.

If you are feeling stagnant with your writing, try visiting a new place.  Sometimes, all it takes to get out of a rut is to change the scenery around you.  Have you ever found inspiration by changing your address?  Please comment below.

2 comments:

  1. I grew up in a small town and still live in one. I've lived in a big city too, but the small-town atmosphere is my preference. I love to visit new places to get my creative juices flowing. We are going on vacation this next week, and I'm really looking forward to the newfound creativity I know is coming.

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  2.  Enjoy your vacation, Kari.  There are advantages and disadvantages in towns both big and small.  For me, I find small towns have a special quality that bring out my creativity.  I have a feeling I will spend the rest of my life in small towns while occasionally visiting the big city to see good friends.

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