Writing Inspiration – New Scientist
I have a subscription to New Scientist which is a magazine publication focused on science, technology and medical innovation. Similar to how I use the National Geographic mag, I read the articles but I actually end to jot down story outlines and themes as I work my through the mag.
I make lists of article titles that I think sound like story titles which I leave for a while. Once I have forgotten what the articles were called etc… I look at the list again and begin to write one liner story starters from them, sometimes a story will want to develop then and there so I will jot it down quickly and often in my own short hand! But mostly I end up with a list of story starters – some of which I share and some of which I don’t.
Over the next few weeks I will steadily flesh out these first lines – sometimes a third look is enough to get the creative juices flowing and I get a whole story out, other times I will get a half or third of a story or suddenly realise that I am 4000 words in and that it wants to be a novel. But most of the time I manage to right the first paragraph from that first line and then later expand from that.
The publication is also full of interesting photos and images, once I’ve finished reading and what not I cut the pictures out and make story boards with them which I then use to construct stories. The remains of the mags I use in various craft projects etc…
They too have produced some good books which I have found funny and inspiring.
Posted: Saturday, July 28th, 2012 @ 4:44 pm
Categories: Inspiration.
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