A little bird told me...
Okay, somebody on twitter mentioned getting writing inspiration in the shower, and I was like, "NO WAY! ME, TOO!" Apparently, this is not rare. So I thought I'd evaluate this on the blog.
Why is the shower such a fantastic place to get writing inspiration?
Some ideas:
- The acoustics are fabulous for singing, and singing probably triggers the creative part of your brain. I have no proof of this, but I'm still going to state it.
- Running water provides white noise, which automatically puts you in a relaxed state and blocks out distractions. Suddenly, things that eluded you become crystal clear. (e.g. "Oh, he's a shapeshifter! Now his attitude towards cheese totally makes sense! Why didn't I see it before?")
- There are no kids, dogs, cats, (or other people, usually). In the absence of loved ones, you can actually focus on your own thoughts, hear yourself think, as it were.
- You aren't holding still. I think the act of completing a routine task like shampooing or shaving, or the like, stimulates the brain without taxing it. Voila! Perfect conditions for sprouting creative ideas.
So it's a combination of being alone with your thoughts and having distraction-free time to ruminate.
I just finished the first draft of a novel, and the shower was invaluable in helping me to flesh out characters, creatures, and action sequences for the climax and ending.
Of course, I prefer a long, salty soak in an over-sized tub, but starving writers cannot be choosers. It would be an interesting study, though, to find out which produces more quality creativity: the shower or the tub?
In the end, it's what you do with the pen or keyboard that truly matters.
But I'm curious: Do you write in the shower? Where else do ideas flow for you?
I get so many ideas and plot twists in the shower, provided it isn't in the morning and I don't have to run to class in 5 minutes and am not counting the seconds. It's such a great place for getting ideas. I agree that it's because of the white noises, which put you in the state of relaxation. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah. Fast showers are NO FUN.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...white noise and routine tasks. Dish-washing (by hand) would also qualify as an inspirational hot house. Hee hee.
Not quite as relaxing, though.