Monday, June 29, 2015

Too Busy to be a Writer?

'Animal Farm' came from a day steering a cart down a country track! 

'Treasure Island' emerged from a sodden holiday in Scotland!

'Around the World in Eighty Days' was inspired by an advertisement in a newspaper!

I was reading something on the Writer's Digest page the other day when I stumbled upon this old column:
http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/the-ideas-that-inspired-the-hobbit-animal-farm-8-other-famous-books
I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought you might too.

The reason I liked it is that Tolkien stumbled upon his brainchild in a random inspired moment whilst grading papers. As a teacher who spends most of her time sifting through papers and complaining about not having enough time to write, this is reassuring. Even when preoccupied with other things, that beautiful brain moment might still strike.

Inspiration might come at anytime. While reading the newspaper or taking a walk or chatting with a friend, the beginnings of ideas are forming. You might be doing nothing or you might be multi-tasking a hundred things.

So, basically, my most favouritest excuse of not having enough time to be a writer - pathetic and useless! These 10 classics came about in the midst of holidays and road trips and busy lives, but it didn't stop the writers!

Note to self - being busy helps ideas, rather than hindering them!
No more excuses!

2 comments:

  1. Good point, Anna! I wrote one book - and potentially a series - based on a compelling photograph. Half the time I forget where the ideas for my stories come from. I get a little spark, and then the plot starts falling into place.

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