By
DiAnn Mills
Searching
for ways to keep a writer creative and engaged can be a challenge. We want to
avoid boredom and ho-hum writing at all costs. That’s why writers need a
sandbox full of favorite toys to help dig into unforgettable fiction and
nonfiction.
Space
The
perfect spot for us to write is where our mind leads. Our imaginations should
never exist within the confines of our sandbox. If our space is cramped and
dull, we need to dribble some of the sand outside the boundaries and see what
develops.
Our
excitement for a project doesn’t always occur with our fingers placed on a
keyboard.
Search
for new places to write and at varying times during the day. Add music,
trickling water, or a change of scenery to build a mobile sandbox that can
travel with us anywhere.
Sand
The
erosion of rocks and minerals forms sand. We find it on beaches, in
landscaping, in the manufacture of glass, and in an ingredient for concrete.
It’s fine or coarse, different colors, and sizes. The person using the sand
chooses its purpose and destination … like words strung together in fiction,
nonfiction, and poetry.
Our
hearts and minds fill with ideas. While one grain of sand means little, adding
more allows the expressive person to compile interesting stories and
information pieces. Start a file of “grains of sand” to keep the writing muse
energized.
Shovel
Shovels
move things around. In our unique sandbox we scoop up our treasures. Sometimes
we let the jewels sift through our fingers to see where they fall. Other times
we place them back in the sandbox for a burst of imagination on another day.
But as we watch the concepts trickle and fall, we find the unexpected. Those
surprising moments of inspiration carry us forward. We place the nuggets aside
and thrust our shovel again into the sand to see where our artistry takes us.
Bucket
No
sandbox is complete without a bucket. The bucket is our storehouse of writing
prompts—topical phrases or text to take us on an adventure. These tools get us
in the mood to play and they vary depending on what needs to be written.
Prompts can be as simple as reading poetry, getting lost in another book, or a
special meet-up with writing buds.
Our
bucket is filled with innovation. We can take it anywhere to find writing
ideas. I once chose to pick blueberries when my plot refused to come together.
Four hours later, I had my storyline and two pies. Consider a trip to the
grocery, shop for something new, plant flowers, yank out weeds, host a party,
bake, visit the beach, hike in the mountains, organize closets, work on a
hobby, or other sources of activity.
The
equipment in a writer’s sandbox depends on the genre, time restraints,
personality, and a twist of whim. Whatever sparks the writer’s creative soul
and helps to build an exciting project should be sprinkled with gems of sand
and enthusiasm.
What
is in your writer’s sandbox?
____________________________________________________________
DiAnn
Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect
an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to
create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of
life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a
thrilling adventure? Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller
lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du
Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. DiAnn is a
founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of
Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters
in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is the director of The Blue
Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Conference,
and the Mountainside Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson
where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She
speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.
DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an
avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest
kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn is
very active online and would love to connect with readers on: Facebook,
Twitter, or any of the social media platforms listed at diannmills.com
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