Ways Of Inspiration: Winging It

This is how I spend my Friday nights...

THE BLANK PAGE!

It's enough to scare any writer, the thought of staring a a blank page. The words are just at the tips of your fingers, yet they seem so hesitant. Yet it continuously happens to us, again and again.

This is a Way of Inspiration, a tumbling block, a style of writing, a good/bad habit, and a one-way ticket to the loony bin all in one! But enough of just looking at that page. Start writing.

Oh yes, the art of winging it, it's a delicate art that requires much experience and concentration. (I don't know if you can tell, but I'm winging this blog post as we speak.) There's not very much to say about this type of inspiration, just that it's when you power through for whatever reason. But here are somethings to help.

-Writing Prompts
-Reading 
-Taking breaks
-Watching TV
-Don't Push Yourself

That's all I got. Happy Tuesday!


~* Update *~
Okay, I know today's post was real doo-doo. Sorry, I'm tired. Just leave me alone. 
BUT WAIT!
Don't leave me alone, because now I'm on Figment.com! Check me out at this link, or search Becca J. Lathorn. 
Kthanksbyenow. 

The Ways of Inspiration: Socializing

Admittedly not my favorite type of inspiration, but I'll roll with it. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Socialization. 

Making friends, making enemies, making acquaintances that secretly think you are just about the strangest organism they've ever had the displeasure of knowing, it's all the same. Interaction with other people and/or things. (And no, unfortunately, imaginary friends don't count.) This, indeed, is a source of inspiration. And it comes in a variety of forms.

Coffee Shop Writing
And other such public places where you sit down, work, and keep half an ear open. This is observing people that have nothing to do with you, giving you a unbiased look on the workings of socialization. Just be sure you don't look too much like a creeper.

Interacting with Friends
While it is a more biased look on life, at the same time it gives you a deeper understanding of it. Observe what your thinking, what your feeling, while you talk to people. Are you sincere? Are you a phony? If so, why? Writing about it.

Media
Dorkzilla time here Monkeys, you need to pay attention to what's on TV, music and otherwise. Know the linguistics of it too. You'd be surprised how useful it is in shelling out your fictional world.

Bottom line, it's all about observation. 
So observe observe observe! You never know where inspiration sparks.

THAT'SALLFOLKS! Enjoy this little photo! 

Why You Should Get a Dog

This blog is brought to you by my lovable crazy little puppy Desi, who is just about the most destructive disgusting infuriating sweetest dog you will ever meet. It is also brought to you by a page in The Pocket Muse By Monica Wood that says the following.

"T.S. Elliot loved cats.
William Butler Yeats loved cats.
Christina Rossetti loved cats.
John Keats loved cats.
J.R.R. Tolkien loved cats.
Mark Twain loved cats.
Christopher Smart loved cats.
Marianne Moore loved cats.
Ernest Hemmingway loved cats.
Oscar Wilde loved cats.
Doris Lessing, Rita Mae Brown,
Carolyn Chute, Nuala O'Faolain...
Isn't it time you got a cat?"

No, it isn't about time I got a cat.

In case you couldn't put two and two together, I'll spell it out. I'm a dog person. And you should be too. Here's why.

Dogs are love-ably dumb.
They do not need to be the kings (or queens) of the house. They are not cocky. They do not think they own you. They are happy if you simply remember to give them a treat, maybe scratch in that little spot behind the ear that they like. And they are so transparent about their emotions. If they're upset, you see it in their adorable puppy dog eyes. If they're happy, their tails will swing around like a helicopter. And their always looking for a playmate. (And, speaking of my dog personally, she always seems to know when I need her happy little kisses.)

You can walk dogs.
Now, granted, I do not claim to be an expert on the care taking of a cat, but don't they do their business in a box? Okay, yeah, that's real convenient. Because everyone loves it when when animals pee and poop in the house. Real lovely fragrance that comes with it. But seriously, walking dogs is the better route. I know, I know. Your thinking to yourself But having to walk a dog is tedious. And there's an old couple that lives next door that my dog loves to attack. But think of it this way. Sometimes, you need to get away from your computer/notebook, right? You need sometime to think, to work out the next part in your book. And sure, you can take a walk around the block to clear your head. But still, who wants to look like a depressed loner? When ever I see someone walking alone on the street who isn't over sixty or carrying a backpack, my heart breaks a little. Thusly, dogs allow you to take a nice leisurely stroll without giving off the vibe that you have issues.

Dogs are a challenge.
I'm not going to try and tell you that dogs are easy to take care of. They're noisy, obnoxious, very dumb, and seem to ram into things all the time. Everyday when I come home from school I see a new part of the sofa ripped up and a nice little surprise waiting for me on the carpet. Not to mention in the dead of night Desi will crawl into my bed and absolutely hog it, trying to cuddle up to me. This may sound endearing, but in 100 degree weather I'm less then pleased to be pressed up against my 80 pound sweaty fur covered heat machine. No matter how many times I kick her off the bed, she jumps right back on. And if I get up to pee she will somehow encompass my whole double twin sized bed. Did I mention she snores?

But that's the fun in it! Who wants an animal that just lazy-s around the house all day? I wanna a pet who's never going to stop pushing me to my limits, keeping me on my toes. It's one of the few things I can actually handle.

Therefore, get a dog.

So what's your take? Cat or Dog? 

The Ways of Inspiration: Dreaming

Hello, and welcome to another exciting episode of Becca talks to herself! This week on the agenda we have-
Wait...No that was the other thing. Nevermind.

Clears throat.

Greetings Primates. Prepare to embark on a magical journey, deep into the depths of-
Hold on...Nope. Still not right.

Sips tea. Clears throat.

...Monkeys? Is that what this is? Right, I'm sure I have it this time. Sorry about that guys. Long week, lots of stress. You get the picture. On with it then. So, this week I'm starting a  new mini series, The Ways of Inspiration, to dive into what makes someone create a story. Where exactly does that spark come from? As any practiced writer knows, this is an impossibly large subject. There are without a doubt as many answers as there are people alive. Times two. But just for the fun of it, lets try to narrow it down to some general categories. And what better way to start then with dreaming?

This particular post comes from a number of things going on in my life that have taught me the importance of a dream. To get a bit scientific on you for a second, the importance of dreams goes beyond just the necessity of sleep. We all know, of course, that our bodies need rest to function properly. But dreams? They have a purpose of their own. Oddly enough, they help us sort out what has gone on through the day. I don't know all the science behind it, I only got the cliff notes, but apparently dreams are part of what keeps our sanity. They give our brains a chance to figure out what's what. Ironic, I know. But I have a point. And I sincerely can't stress this enough, I'm speaking from a place where good friends of mine are suffering because of a lack of dreams, getting full restful sleep is very very important. Insomniacs, hear my plea. Please take care of yourselves.

'K. Done with the heavy stuff. Now onto the writing. 

For any writer, I believe, dreams are an invaluable tool for inspiration. In dreams, anything can and will happen, just like in our stories. And, much like how I feel when I'm creating a story, it's not really me that's in control. I'm just observing and recording. But it's so much more then that when it comes to dreams! It's a way to engage all of your senses in the story, if only for a night. You're not just imagining it, you're living it! This is golden in the universe of fiction, to be able to put your self in your main character, to be able to experience your fictional world. Last night I was at a friends house spending the night (I practically live there, they even have a mattress for me) I had this amazing dream and when I woke up before I could even yawn I was jotting down pages of notes in my writing journal. I'm telling you guys, this has got to be one of my favorite forms of inspiration.

So what about you? Have your best stories come from the realm of dreams?