Where Do You Get Your Inspirations?

One of my favorite pastimes is leafing through decorating magazines; everything from Country French to Vintage and Cottage designs. Many of them, I buy cheap from a thrift shop but some are new, and have caught my eye for one reason or another. I never know what I'll find or what will inspire me. 

I always wonder what kind of character would inhabit a house decorated entirely with recycled items? Or perhaps stores their clothes in an old-fashioned pie safe? Any item can trigger a character or a story. The person who decorates entirely with recycled, thrift-store finds might be passionate about saving the planet. They actually seem more like a secondary character for some reason, but the person who stores their clothes in an old pie safe makes me wonder why it doesn't match the rest of her living space. There's the story, I want to tell but you may take a different approach.

I once purchased a book, simply titled, Boudoir, Creating the Bedroom of Your Dreams by Hillary Robertson. Talk about inspiration. It did, of course match some very lovely models to each theme: Romantic, Sexy or Exotic but authors of course, like to mix things up to make the story more interesting, so beauty will be in the eye of the beholder. The glossy photos of each bedroom were gorgeous and could be reproduced on just about anyone's budget, if they were clever; which of course our heroines usually are.

I have actually used this book as an inspiration for writing exercises. Describing a setting in an interesting way is always a challenge. To make it extra challenging, I decide on a character who is seeing the room for the first time. I  close my eyes and flip through the pages, then let the book fall open. Whatever page is revealed gets described.

How would an amnesia victim view the room after being told it had been their bedroom for the past ten years? How would a Marine, stranded in a snowstorm and dependent on the kindness of strangers view his "guest" quarters? Remember, they could be romantic, sexy or exotic:)

Sometimes, I just have to remember how much fun writing can be and this kind of an exercise always tends to remind me. How about you? Do you have any prompts or exercises that you utilize when you need a little inspiration?

If you aren't a writer, don't be shy. Whatever you do to fill up the creative well and put a smile on your face might be just the suggestion someone else needs to make their day a little happier. Smile and pass it on:)


Until next month,

Paris
http://parisbrandon.com