Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Art as Inspiration


Frog Lake--a place that inspires me
I recently read BELLE EPOQUE by Elizabeth Ross. One of the interesting things about that story was that one of the characters, Paul, went to the Louvre museum when he was stuck. Here’s how he explains it: “I’m a musician, and when I’m stuck with composing I like to plunge into another art form. . .I enjoy looking at paintings. It reminds me that others also toil to create.” (BELLE EPOQUE, Elizabeth Ross) That got me thinking about how I get inspired when I’m stuck.

Like Paul, I find that art recharges me.  Of course, reading novels or watching films are inspiring, but I do that all the time. Here are some things that really “fill me up” as a writer:

Theater: Watching a play, seeing the characters convey emotion through their body language, voice and pitch inspires me. Seeing actors live, rather than on a screen, has more immediacy. Perhaps it’s because it’s in real time…perhaps I feel like an actor as I create voice for my own characters.

Art: I have only taken a few art classes, which I loved. But looking at art and creating it, which I don’t do often enough, inspires me. One of the things I learned in art class is that it’s not about talent so much as being able to see rightly—how many shades of green do you see in that forest? Writing, too, is all about seeing rightly and conveying what you see clearly.

Music: I recently listened to a classical music program called THE SCORE, where the host, Edmund Stone, interviews composers of screenplays. I loved listening to these musicians’ processes, especially how they used certain instruments and styles to convey emotion. As a writer, we need to think about tone and mood and motifs—all things present in music. 

Nature: Being out in nature inspires me; it is art on a grand scale. I recently read the picture book LUCY MAUDE MONTGOMERY : The Author of Anne of Green Gables (Alexander Wallner). In it, she says about L.M. Montgomery: “Her best friend, however, was nature… like magic to her.” Nature reminds me that the small details, which Montgomery captured so well in her work, allow readers to feel like they are living in the story.
What inspires you as writer when you get stuck? Please share!

11 comments:

  1. Nature recharges me. There's nothing like a walk with my dog to get me un-stuck.

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    1. I don't have a dog, but there's something about walking that helps me get unstuck too. If I exercise before I write, it helps me to be able to preserve through the tough parts (writing wise).

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  2. See, this is where I have an advantage. As a composer and actor in a previous life, I've got a full view of the creative process. I seriously do act out my scenes--blocking, inflections, facial twitches, etc.

    For me, nature is definitely the most inspiring. I used to live in the mountains, and I'd go out and watch the moon rise over them to get inspired. *sigh*

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    1. That's so cool, Crystal, that you used to act and compose. I'm sure that brings a lot of insight into the writing process. Oh, living in the mountains sound lovely. I'm only a few hours away, so it's usually a day trip or more.

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  3. I am 100% with you on all four of these!! I started making my own list in my head when I read the beginning of this post, and then as I kept reading I realized that our lists are exactly the same. The only thing I would add is that being OUT in nature is even better than looking at it through a window, and best of all is being able to be physically active in it. That's one of the reasons why I love hiking so much, and why it recharges me so quickly!

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    1. Yes, I love hiking too. I think with nature, it's also the quiet and the slowness of everything. Everything in real life can be so distracting. And there's nothing like hiking for endorphins!

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  4. I totally agree with these--especially music!

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    1. Yes, I love using music. And it's great if you can find music to go with your WIP setting or time period--to put you in the mood. :)

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  5. I love all the things you mentioned, but my "unsticking" device is to go for a walk and look at houses. I imagine who lived there, who loved there, what happened to them, etc. It could be the fresh air or moving my limbs, but this sort of ritual has worked for me.

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    1. Mirka, I love looking at houses, too, but I've never used it as an unsticking advice--I love that idea!

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  6. I love watching plays, but haven't for several years now. My husband isn't a fan, and the last time I went to a play it was a small town production and I took a friend who had never seen a play besides skits at church and school. We left mid-way during the break b/c it was so horrible- and the air conditioning was broke, lol! I've told her several times that I owe her a 'good' play. Might be another girl's night out sometime!

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