So, we all know about the normal resources for writers. There are awesome blogs done by everyone in the business from authors to agents to editors. Plus, there are certain books that every writer should have on their shelf like Self-Editing for the Fiction Writer by Browne & King. But, today, I'd like to talk about some of the unsung resources. Or, at least, I consider them resources, because without them I wouldn't be able to be as creative as I like to think I am.
I'm talking about inspiration, people. We, as writers, are in the business of creating. What we do is basically an art form. Heck, there's no "basically" about it, it IS an art form. So, here are some of the things that are must-haves for me as a writer.
1. Music - I like to figure out what type of music my characters would listen to or what type of soundtrack my book would have if it were a movie. With my last novel, it was mostly dreamy, quirky, pretty stuff like Ellie Goulding, Imogen Heap, and Jonsi. But my new book has a completely different feel. I went on Facebook and asked my friends for recommendations that had a certain vibe. People are always willing to share their taste in music. Pandora.com is a wonderful site for this. Just put in a couple of artists or songs and Pandora will play things similar to them.
2. Art - Deviantart.com, people, check it out. Especially if you're writing fantasy or sci-fi, the pieces on that site are so inspiring, it's ridiculous.
3. Tumblr - You must walk a tightrope with this one, folks, because it will suck you in. Music, art, gifs, videos, it's all there.
4. Favorite things - This one might just be me and my weirdo self, but I find that if I have a box of my favorite candy or a tall glass of cherry coke sitting on my desk, I'm happy. And, I don't know about you but, a happy writer makes for a happy word count. I don't know how many times just putting on my fuzzy socks got me through a writer's block.
5. Friends & Family - For me, this is the most important. Sure, my husband might suggest a gem of an idea for that scene I'm stuck on, but that's not the real reason I need him and all the rest of my wonderful circle of people. I need their support, plain and simple. I need them to stroke my ego when I've just written a (IMO) beautiful sentence. I need their "It'll be okay"s and "You'll figure it out"s when I'm deadlocked. I need my kids to be cute for those times when I need a distraction.
So, that's it. The five things that are essential to my process. What kind of crazy things or not-so-crazy things are important to your writing? Let me know in the comments!
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Hmm... I do like music. I listened to a lot of house music when I had to write a club and fight scene.
ReplyDeleteOn my wild side, I have to have coloured pens and a notebook. I do like snacking on gummy bears and a cup of tea. I will check out the websites.
Yummy, gummy bears... *makes a mental note to grab a bag next time I'm grocery store* Thanks for the comment, Ladonna, and for reminding how awesome gummy bears are :)
ReplyDeleteI blogged about something similar today, lol! I find pictures and music for my WiP, too. Sounds like I need to check out deviantart since my WiP has sci-fi elements. Plus, it helps to have chocolate and a Dr. Pepper nearby:)
ReplyDeleteOh, man, Deviantart is awesome! There are so many talented artists on there :)
ReplyDeleteTell me more aout tumblr. I have an account, and I used it once. It looked like a user-friendly blogging site to me. How/where are all those other goodies?
ReplyDeleteJJ
Tumblr is incredibly easy to use. When you start following people, you'll get their posts in your feed and it's super easy to "reblog" what they've put up. It's also easy to upload your own content. But be careful because it's super addictive. Go explore your dashboard on there and I'm sure you'll figure it out pretty quickly. Oh and let me know your tumblr address so I can follow :)
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