Writing Amidst the Buzz
It’s that beautiful time of year. There is much noise in our lives as we prepare for holidays and celebrations of all kinds.
The buzz in the air can be a distraction to any serious writing that often happens on the fringe of the day. One suggestion for mining inspiration is to allow yourself to feel the buzz and funnel it into creativity.
Good energy for writers!
All of those happy times, past and present, are stories waiting to be told. Even the melancholy that often comes with the season can be fuel for an emotional hook.
Think carefully about every holiday wish you offer. Connections from the past make each wish sincere. Fond memories and not-so-fond memories are wonderful sources of story ideas.
Reflect on a scene.
Reflect on the people, places, sensations, and sounds involved in a childhood scene. It could be as simple as walking by someone ringing a bell near a red kettle in front of your local grocery store. Consider the sounds of the bell and whether the ringing was desperate, happy, sad, slow, or fast. Perhaps the sound was solo. Maybe people were chattering and laughing; maybe it was quiet and still.
Drink in the sensation if you walk past a similar scene. What stories are there, right before your eyes, waiting to be formed and shared? The lucky families that receive the graces of donations added to the red kettle might be the foundation of the story you want to tell. The child who drops a few coins into the kettle has his own story, too. Reach for those possibilities!
Borrow from someone else’s experience.
Maybe you have never experienced the bell in front of the grocery store. Maybe that hasn’t ever been your stage. So, use someone else’s play. Be an observer and find emotions that are wrapped in holiday garb. Unpeel the cover and discover the heart of a story.
Don’t let the buzz get in the way.
Feel the emotions, jot notes of what stirs inside, and seek out time to briefly note the feelings that connect you to good people. Somewhere, there’s another story to be told. The busy season doesn’t have to get in the way. Embrace the noise, and find a story everyone wants to read.
D. L. Gollnitz, Author 