new inspiration

I’ve re-drafted one of my Clarion stories a number of times and now it’s winging its way towards a professional opinion. I’d like to rework two more stories by the end of the month, time permitting.

A new idea for a script is gestating in my mind at the moment. It arrived, unexpectedly, over a week ago. It’s a horror/thriller set in rural Ireland. I hope to outline it in the coming weeks.

I’ve been photo-mad lately, as those of you who have been following my Flickr account might have noticed. One of my latest snaps even got an honourable mention in a weekly pick on a Flickr group. Photography is not a new interest of mine. Martin bought Pixie for me six and a half years ago, but in the past four years writing has drowned out most of my creative outlets. A subtle shift occurred since I returned from Clarion.

Sure, I’m writing, but the visual media has rekindled my imagination in a new way – I’m even drawing again, and I haven’t done that in years. Art was a big part of my life when I was a teenager, and I harboured illusions of making a career of it. It was my back-up plan if I didn’t land a B.A. in humanities when I finished secondary school, but I did, and Art was relegated to a hobby. Over the years it’s receded further into the background.

Suddenly I’m in the middle of a creative tsunami. At the moment everything has the potential to become a photograph, or a drawing. I notice the background noise that we usually filter out on a daily basis. I’m looking at shadow and perspective and considering how I’d replicate that in pencil (my art skills are very rusty).

I like to think I’m experiencing a synthesis of language and visual input, where I’m seeing potential stories around me all the time. Maybe I’m just getting distracted. Overall, it’s inspiring. In particular I’m enjoying following the images and art that are posted on Flickr, and often I’m struck at the depth of people’s creative impulse, and how much talent exists in the world.

It’s an important counterpoint to the anger, despair and death we see in the newspapers and on TV so often.

Beauty surrounds us. We need to stop and appreciate it every now and again.