Feed your creative self

Like the quote at the bottom says, “…feed your creative self.” That’s exactly what I did the other day, taking advantage of the beautiful, sunny day that was just right for a “field trip.” I went down to pay a visit to my own city’s museum. I needed to do more research for one of the stories I’m working on. Took my camera and my notebook. I wandered through the museum taking pictures of exhibits I thought would come in handy for my work. I got permission, of course. It turned out to be more than I expected. The exhibits were extraordinary.

I ran into a clown, yes, a clown before I even got to my destination. I couldn’t resist taking her picture. Then a squirrel came up to within inches of where I stood next to a fence. Completely ignored me as it munched on some nuts. Even allowed me to take its picture. I thought that was pretty cool.

Another treat was the lush beauty of the grounds outside the museum. That was an inspiration in itself. The historical buildings and the stories behind them could also spark anyone’s imagination. Sometimes we writers need to take some time off to enjoy the beauty that is all around us. I’m sure there are landmarks in your town that are worth looking into, the people behind the scenes, the history, the “surprises” that are out there.

With my notebook full of notes and my camera loaded with pictures, I returned home, relaxed, full of ideas and ready to get back to writing. I recommend that you take a day off sometime – enjoy! Look around your own town. You just might discover treasures you didn’t know existed. And that can get any story started.

“Carve out a space in your day for quiet, uninterrupted thinking. Exercise and feed your creative self.” – Penny Raife Durant