Hello, everyone! Our weekend coverage begins its second week of existence this afternoon with the continuation of our recently debuted ‘Journalism Tips’ series. We built this column with input from our friends in writing, and in the months to come you will see many previously highlighted talents lending their know-how to our blog. Today’s piece was written by Adrian Garza, who currently resides in Florida and contributes to a number of up and coming publications. If you have any questions regarding the content of this blog, or if you would like to learn more information about the services offered by Haulix, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
Everybody who works in a creative field would be the first to admit that inspiration isn’t just some endless and overflowing river that drives people to create. This is something that needs to be found from somewhere, and if someone doesn’t know where to look, the search can take too long.
It’s really all about working out a system of ideas that work for you, but if you don’t know where to start, that could take a very long time. So for a place to start, give my list that I’ve developed over the years a quick look.
Read!
Ok, I know I sound like some high school English teacher, but if you really think about it, this couldn’t ring any more true and you would be hard pressed to find anybody who would disagree. Some of the best artists are those who’ve followed the examples of others, and writing isn’t exempt from this either.
The truth is, we all need inspiration from somewhere. If you’re running on empty, you need to refill your tank in whatever way possible. But don’t limit this advice to other music sites either, although a lot of the writing at sites like Noisey and Mind Equals Blown is top notch, there are so many other places to turn to for ideas. It could be something as plain and simple as reading a book a month, dig into creative writing, and even just skim over newspapers (preferably weekly local publications, if you’re lucky enough to live within distribution of a good one).
Watch a Movie
Personally, one of the things that draw me into the world of film is the idea that movies are based on a story that was created from nothing, just like written work. It’s that “no-boundaries” approach that motivates me to try new things in my own writing.
Along with providing viewers with a glimpse of entirely new and foreign worlds, movies have always motivated me to do go out and do something. Even if that “something” was as simple as throwing together a quick news post about a song that I really enjoy, or putting serious work into a feature story, it’s the thought of expression and leaving something behind that makes it feel worth it.
Take a Walk
Now, I know “taking a walk” could translate over to anything. It could literally be getting up and physically moving around or even just switching your browser over to YouTube to watch some thirty minute long vine compilation video. I’m not much of the outdoors-y type, so instead of literally taking a walk, I’ll at least make a point to cook a good meal. This gives me the chance to escape, even if for just an hour or two. I’ll usually even go as far as avoiding playing music to help detach myself even further.
This is really all about giving yourself the chance to clear your head of everything going on. Don’t think about what you need to do, instead think about what you’d rather be doing… then realize that you won’t be able to get to it until you finish up whatever you’re supposed to be working on.
Write Something Else
Sure this is something that I’ve already covered before in my “blogger spotlight” interview that I did months ago, but this is something that I completely stand behind. Everybody needs to switch things up in their lives eventually. If you’re capable of cranking out work for multiple outlets, you should be more than willing to dedicate the time to do so, because this method is the most worth it. Eventually, you’ll naturally start combining different approaches to writing and with that will come a much more enjoyable and productive experience.
But don’t contain this to different kinds of journalism/blogging. Some of the best writers that I know are those who dabble in writing advertisements, press releases, and even screenplays. At the end of the day, it’s all about mixing things up in order to create something better.
When he’s not blasting Crime in Stereo, Adrian Garza writes at Under the Gun Review and works at the Editor-In-Chief at The Southeastern Times, Southeastern University’s student newspaper. Follow him on Twitter.