Sometimes, writing in your house at your desk can get a bit boring. After you’ve spent hours on end staring at the same wall as you try to come up with new ideas, it can be a good idea to get outside and take inspiration from a new place. Here are 3 ideas for writing exercises you can do the next time you fancy taking a break from your desk!
1. Notes From Your Day
Find yourself a tiny notebook that fits into your bag or coat pocket and take it with you everywhere. Dedicate this notebook to sentence fragments and musings that pop into your head.
Pull your notebook out in the pockets of time you have in your day; on the bus, when you’re waiting for a friend, standing in a queue or sitting on a park bench. Write about what you see, feel and hear. Write down snippets of conversations that you overhear or try to describe people that walk past you in one sentence.
This notebook can become a source of inspiration when you sit down to write something longer and will encourage you to keep your writing in mind as you go about your daily life.
2. Art Gallery Inspiration
Head to an art gallery or museum, armed with a notebook and a pen. Stroll around the exhibitions and challenge yourself to write something based on the things that pique your interest. Being by yourself will give you the opportunity to be extra-observant – can you create a story about someone else wandering the museum? Let your mind run away with you, and feel inspired by the creative artefacts contained within the museum walls.
3. Five Senses
Visit a park, woodland, or beach and put your phone away in your bag, preferably on silent. Walk without trying to keep track of where you are. Let yourself get lost within the grounds and try to feel comfortable with your discomfort at not knowing whereabouts you are. Take notice of the nature surrounding you. Pay attention to your senses. Are there animals or plants overhead or by the side of the path that you might not have noticed if you weren’t looking for them? Every time you notice something interesting, stop and write a few sentences about what you are experiencing, making sure you reference each of your senses.