Out THERE

Writers are, by nature, introverts. We like staying indoors, huddled in our offices with our computers (or laptops, or – for some – pens and notebooks). The outside world has people (ew!). The outside world has noise. The outside world has distractions. The outside world lacks electrical cords. It’s just not for us.

Except it IS!

Not the people part (I’m not crazy, don’t worry). No, just the outdoor part – away from people, noise, and, yes, electricity. The natural world provides exceptional resources for writers, if you’re willing to take the time away from your computer.

Regardless of where you live, there’s a natural space SOMEWHERE. It doesn’t have to be green to speak to the creative part of your brain. Forests and waterfalls call to the fantasy writer in me. I love waterfalls, and I’ve always been drawn to them. The sight of tumbling water – large and small – the sound of water bouncing over rocks, and the smell of moisture in the air. Not only does it spark creativity, it recharges my mind. I reconnect with the primal part of myself that savors escape from computers, noise, and other human beings.

Two for one!

Even as a kid, I’d find stories popping into my head when we spent time out in the real world. Camping, touring caves, hiking, going to the beach – each provided different backdrops for my vivid imagination. I haven’t lost my touch now that I’m older. While others my age might hit the beach to work on tans and down alcohol, I stare into the patterns of foam and conjure new worlds. When storms roll in and people whine about lost daylight, I envision monsters roaming among the lightning. I never step into a forest without fairies flickering in the corners of my eyes.

Nature doesn’t discount science fiction, either. Dystopian work bubbles out of vines climbing over ancient railroad ties. Last autumn, we went to Northern Virginia and walked along a river bed, desperately low from drought. Looking at the natural water line etched into the rocks, my mind raced with climate change possibilities. Beautiful, twisting tree growth superimposes over shattered buildings in my brain – nature reclaiming the world after some cataclysmic event.

The possibilities are endless!

When you go outside and let the quiet permeate your mind, creativity steps into the silence. You recharge yourself (yes, I’m one of THOSE people), and you recharge your ideas. And, as I said, you don’t even have to go that far. There’s a park five minutes up the road from our house. We can put our kayaks in and go up or down the river, with different views available. The Botanical Gardens are only a twenty-minute drive away, and they cover MILES. We have hiking trails and beaches within an hour – many lacking in popularity with locals and tourists.

Step away from the machines, tuck a notepad in your pocket, and step outside. Hell, even sitting on my back porch brings ideas! (Though I really think you need to go further) When storms roll in and lightning dances across the sky – how can that NOT inspire something?

Nature holds fascinating possibilities, and it reconnects you to the world in which you exist. If you gain inspiration AND recharge yourself – how can you NOT take that chance? Give it a try – you won’t regret it.