Monday, August 9, 2010

Sweat, Tears, and Story Ideas


There's a creative writing contest I'm interested in entering which calls for a short story with a maximum word count of 2000, inspired by this quote:

"The key to change...is to let go of fear."
-- Rosanne Cash

I've been chewing on the quote for a couple days now, but no characters have whispered to me and no story lines have wiggled their way into my imagination.  Until this morning.

There I was, on the treadmill for the first time since before my trip to France, going at a much slower pace than what's "normal" for me but getting my sweat on just the same.  (How come it takes so long to get INTO shape, and such a short time to fall OUT of shape??)

And a story began to reveal itself, a tight skein of fiction unraveling with each quarter mile into a colorful pile of plot and character threads, ready for sorting and weaving.  I was so inspired, I almost pushed the 'end workout' button and dashed for my car.  But how ungrateful would that have been?  My faithful writing partner, the treadmill, deserved a full visit, especially since it's been so long since we last enjoyed each others company.  So I finished the program, happy, my heart rate elevated and skin glistening with sweat.

And then I dashed for my car.

I'm off to bang out my first draft of the new short.  (*raises arm and sniffs pit*)  ...And then I'll really need a shower.


I'm often inspired to write when I'm on the treadmill.  Where are you when story ideas frequently come to you? 


38 comments:

Summer Frey said...

The treadmill is a good place for me too, second only to the shower. I swear, all I have to do is shave my legs, and the pieces fall into place. :)

Unknown said...

I am not a treadmill girl, hurts my knees, but the track outside in my apartment complex is the perfect place to think. Dreams are where I'm most inspired though, small trinkets, such as the adorable little fairies I've started to find and collect for my upcoming story about a girl named Fina.

I love the new ideas, they give you life!

kah said...

Loved the need-a-shower part. Great visual at 9am. lol.

Good luck with the shiny new idea. Hope you win! :)

LTM said...

funny! I was just putting this on another writer friend's blog talking about running. I get ideas when I exercise... I think it has something to do with relaxing your mind. Or maybe it's the endorphins... Who knows?

What I DO know is you have a little sumpin sumpin on my Bloggie blog... come see~

Nicole Zoltack said...

In the shower. lol Probably because of it being 'me' time.

Ann Best said...

Sometimes in the middle of the night (sigh) when I'm having insomnia. Sometimes out walking (I want to get a treadmill for those humid, hot days and the very cold ones!). I'm glad "walking" inspired you. This sounds exciting. Good luck!
Ann

J.C. Martin @ Fighter Writer said...

I look forward to reading the story! I tend to get ideas while in the shower, oddly...somehow my mind wanders as water is splashed all over me...:)

Anonymous said...

I sold the treadmill because it turned out to be a very expensive clothes hanger, but I do my best thinking walking out doors. Good luck with the new story!

Terry Stonecrop said...

Haha,I like your idea and its inspiration - and the new writing partner!

I often wake up with ideas but driving through the citrus groves seems to inspire them. I don't know why the groves, maybe all that nice green scenery or something.

j.leigh.bailey said...

I love that quote!

My best ideas come when I'm driving home from work, winding through a local forest preserve. I think I need to invest in one of those digital recorders...probably a lot more useful than using my cell phone to leave myself a voice mail at work so I don't forget my little brainstorms.

N. R. Williams said...

My ideas come from many different parts of me and therefore from many activities. My newest idea came from the need to create something no one had thought of before in fantasy. At least, not that I'm aware of. I fleshed it out with my critique group.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author

Anthony Duce said...

In the middle of the night when I'm trying to fall back to sleep is when ideas come up, sometimes from a dream. It happens again in the morning when I'm trying to stay in bed and not wake others up. Sometimes a story, more often an image that needs to be drawn or painted sometime soon.

Southpaw said...

Not on the treadmill, but I am usually out walking.

Summer Ross said...

writing ideas happen to me alot, so sometimes I'm at the grocery store, sometimes I'm out to coffee with my friends, sometimes I'm watching a movie, or being a book worm, and then it also happens when I'm typing at my computer for school. a couple of times in the middle of the night.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Usually while playing the guitar, as my mind is at peace during that time. Sometimes it hits me in the car while the music is blaring, too!

Talli Roland said...

Don't you love inspiration when it comes like that? Yay! I get most of my ideas just before falling asleep.

Laura S. said...

Story ideas arrive usually when I'm daydreaming or doing something totally unrelated to writing! Grocery shopping, driving, cleaning, watching a movie, exercising, sleeping... but no particular time do story ideas come more or less. It's pretty random!

Laurel Garver said...

My friends are appalled I've lived 10 years without a dishwasher, but I swear I get most of my writing ideas with my hands in the suds!

Sharde(Shar-day) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sharde(Shar-day) said...

Oh, that's an easy one. At work. It's often the last place I want to be and the first place ideas come rushing to mind. I think my muse has a twisted sense of humor.

RaShelle Workman said...

Hi. Inspirational spots pour moi are the shower or the car. Good luck on your short. Oh, France. I want to visit someday. I'm envious. ;D

Jolene Perry said...

I hate the treadmill but I do it in the winter. In the summer, I'm out walking and running. It's when I've gotten ALL my story ideas and where I go when I'm not exactly sure what will happen next.

Shelley Sly said...

I get ideas everywhere, especially when I wash dishes, do laundry, any housework... (it's a good thing I do a lot of cleaning, then!) It seems I get more ideas away from the computer than when I'm sitting in front of a Word document. That's so great about your idea on the treadmill -- I probably would have stopped my workout and rushed to write it down, haha!

Wendy Ramer, Author said...

You know I had to scroll back to the top after reading for a moment to check if I was on the right site. What did you do to your beautiful template?

I don't mean to sound critical (which I realize is EXACTLY how I sound) but I so loved your unique blog design. If you were just in the mood for a change, I get that.

So I'll shut up :-)

Man Named Kim said...

i can't count the number of times that i've been inspired by exercise! go forth and write!

Sara {Rhapsody and Chaos} said...

I find a lot of inspiration in my car while driving and also right before falling asleep. Which is SO inconvenient, lol, because I usually end up getting up to jot down notes OR jump on my computer to type.

Good luck with the contest!!

beingcrys said...

It's a toss up between the shower, and driving. Two places where I have yet to figure out the best way to jot notes. Because by the time I get to a place where I can, the ideas are gone. Poof, they have vanished and disappeared.

It's so frustrating.

Erin MacPherson said...

Hi Nicole- I can't wait to hear how your short story does in the contest (and hopefully get to read it someday!). For me, I often get the inspiration to write in the middle of the night. I'll wake up at like 2 am and my mind will whir. If I actually drag myself out of bed, I can usually type something up before going back to sleep.

Lenny Lee said...

hi miss nicole! im glad you got an idea for your story and i hope you win that writing contest. maybe when you got all sweaty and hot a neat story just pored out. ha ha!
for me in summber mostly i get ideas when im lying on a raft in my cousins pool looking up at all the cool clouds.
...hugs from lenny

Anonymous said...

Usually when I'm driving I get my best ideas. I drive several hours a day for work sometimes, and I make sure to set that time aside to actively think about my writing. It's awesome what comes to me on long stretches of the NJ Turnpike. :)

DL Hammons said...

Most of my ideas come while I'm soaking in the hot tub...following my work out. But I do manage to keep a digital recorder nearby. :)

Susan Fields said...
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Susan Fields said...

I get my best thinking done when I'm walking the dog. Something about peace and quiet and nature makes the creative juices flow. :)

Kimberly Franklin said...

For me, they come at all different times. Usually while driving though. I get a lot of ideas just driving around listening to music.

Jai Joshi said...

I'm on the treadmill, like you. Or walking in the park. Or driving in my car. Or eating dinner in my kitchen. Or swimming in the pool. Ideas can come to me out of nowhere and most of the time I don't even notice where I am because all I can think is about getting a pen and paper and write it down fast.

Jai

Kay Richardson said...

Stories come to me when I'm shouting. I can only be creative when properly shouting. This has ended a few relationships and caused odd looks on the bus. Any suggestions as to how I may stop this?

Vicki Rocho said...

When I started writing earlier this year, my gym time took a nose dive. I've recently corrected that and I'm SO glad I did! I forgot how many ideas I'd have on the treadmill/elliptical. I've worked out more sticky plot points here than anywhere else. Exercise is a cornerstone of my creative process...but you might need to remind me of that later!

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