WRITER'S CORNER

I am often asked about from where I get my inspiration. The truth is I am inspired all the time by what is going on around me, by the conversations I happen to hear, by the stories other people tell me. I love watching the way people interact and I often find myself thinking, "That detail would be really good in a book one day."

That said, sometimes I sit down to write and it's a struggle. Okay, often I sit down to write and it's a struggle. And so, I have some little exercises I do from time to time to get myself into the writing mood.

This section is specifically for people who want to write and are looking for some ideas to get started. I look at writing exercises as a way to find inspiration when you don't realize it's there. Afterall, Holding My Breath grew out of a writing exercise at a workshop on writing historical fiction. So for me, little writing exercises are a way to get the brain moving, the words flowing, and your mind focused.

Every once in a while I'll post some new ideas. Check back from time to time. To start, here's one of my favourites:

When you are leafing through the newspaper in the morning, look carefully at the photos. Find one that grabs you and cut it out, but don't bother with the caption. Now sit down and write about what you see happening in that photo. Let your imagination take you where ever you want to go. Don't be concerned about the "real" story. And don't worry about whether or not you are an expert on the topic of the photo. Just give yourself the freedom to explore this subject and see what kind of story grows out of it.

For a different take on this exercise, next pretend that you are the photographer. What inspired you to take this picture? What is your relationship to the subject? Why are you moved by what you see?

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