Writing

Where do you ponder?


Where do you like to sit and ponder?

Overlooking an ocean or lake?

I’ve done that and loved it.

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How ’bout watching a sweet sunset.

I’ve seen plenty of those and totally love them. Sunrises work great too for me.

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If you’ve been visiting the Light of Truth blog for any time at all, you’ll know I’ve spent a bunch of time up on Sedona, Az.

I have done a couple writer retreats up there and pounded out some serious words on a few of my novels.

I mean, with a view like this, how could you NOT be inspired, right?

The beautiful red rocks.

The thrill of a great hike or trail run.

It’s among my top choices of where to go to write.

Some of us have favorite chairs we like to sit in. Heck I have a favorite sweatshirt I love to wear when I’m writing.

But where do you like to go to think? You know, to just think things through, whether you’re a writer or not.

Along with those mentioned above, another big one for me is my road bike.

Yep, the green, black and white Jamis and I have spent many hours on the road together.

I’ll pound out anywhere from 30-70 miles on that thing just thinking. It can be about anything, but mostly, it’s about what kind of funky situations I can throw at my characters. Plots. Conflicts. Tension.

There’s just something about being outside seeing the sites, busting my lungs, and getting fresh air to fuel the ideas.

This past Friday, I got another story idea. I didn’t necessarily want one quite yet since I’d just finished a novel a couple weeks ago. I was actually looking forward to some rest. But I can’t always control when the ideas come, that’s for sure.

Since it was just a little “trickle” of an idea, I figured I’d spend some time thinking on it to see if it went anywhere.

So, this past Saturday, I spent a couple hours in the saddle. Thirty miles later. . . the little trickle turned into a full blown idea.

Even thought of the names while on the ride. Trinity and Jayden.

Then, later that day, when I sat down at the computer, the flood gates opened.

So. . . we’ll see where the story goes.

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I’d love to hear about your favorite place (or places) to sit and ponder!

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8 Comments

  • Lynn Rush

    Lori–mountain tops are great too. Especially at sun set (well, as long as you can find your way down LOL.) I love how you can see sooo much. Makes me feel small yet inspires me to be so much more!

    Kat–I do think the hours on the bike and hours exercising are related. Time to think. Keeping a fresh mind maybe? As for the writing. . . Can I be lame and say, “It’s a God-thing?”

    Seriously, I have NOOOOO idea how the ideas come as they do and how the words pour out of my fingertips like they do. I will run with it as long as it comes. And hopefully do good by God with it. 🙂

  • kat

    I firmly believe that your activity level is in direct relationship with your creativity. You are probably the most creative and prolific person I know online, and you’re the most physically active too.

    I wonder how you do it.

    Your secret please?

  • Lynn Rush

    KM Wilsher–I thought you’d say Sedona!
    Kat–Yep, that’s me and my dad on the ledge. It was fantastic!
    KM–Driving is a good time to think. Not so much for me, though, I get a little distracted which equals dangerous for me. LOL.

  • KM

    I get a lot of ideas when I’m driving or – this sounds weird – when I’m in the shower. Usually, my exercise time is devoted to God and praying, so I can’t brain storm then. But I have a long commute to and from school, so I get in a lot of pondering time then. 🙂

  • kat heckenbach

    I take my big ole Boxer, Rocky, for a walk around the neighborhood. Or, I go pace around the garage while the kids play in the yard. I’d love to go biking more, but we live in suburbia! Being constantly on the lookout for speeding cars is not conducive to peaceful pondering :(.

    Is that you standing on the rock ledge? Just looking at a picture of that makes me dizzy. I’m not cool with heights when they are located so close to the edge….flatland Florida girl :).

    My dream, however, is to cloister myself away in a cabin in the mountains, or at least the hills :), and spend a week just writing. I doubt that will ever happen, though. But I can dream!