Sitting in front of a screen and struggling to put even one word on it is a writer’s nightmare. You must cultivate your imagination to spur it on during writing sessions. To do this, it is important to find and identify the triggers that will infuse your rough drafts with visionary storytelling.
All writers must use their skills of observation to inform them of the human condition. It’s important to be observant, to be aware of the motivations, actions, reactions, etc. of those around you. This is essential information. Our imagination takes it and reprocesses it into a creative form.
Perhaps you’ve experienced a writing trigger. You observed something that made you want to write a story. Sometimes serendipity does help you stumble into observation rich opportunities, but often this is not the case. Smart authors will curate or manifest triggers by seeking them out. You must look for them and believe they can be found.
There are so many places to find them. Delve into the memory of a conversation with a boyfriend or girlfriend. Play an old record or read aloud poetry. Sift though photographs or stroll through some galleries. Remember your special place from childhood. Pull out that sack of baby clothes or your grandmother’s table linens and see what comes to mind. The opportunities are endless.
Here are four common ways to induce triggers:
1. Your senses – You have five commonly listed senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. You also have some less commonly noted senses, like your sense of position (think dancer), your sense of balance, your sense of pain/pleasure, your sense of acceleration. Observe everyday scenes with all your senses.2. Your memory – You have a lifetime of events, people and places to mine. Sensory triggers can help you access these memories. Try to visit the place you grew up or consider playing your old music, fixing a favorite recipe from college or calling an old friend from elementary school. You might go to a vintage clothing store and touch fabrics, shoes, purses, etc. Senses can jar memories.3. Your curiosity – You must constantly seek out new environments, people, and experiences. Pay attention with your senses as you capture new memories experiences. Also take videos, photographs, or jot notes that will serve to reinforce the memory of your experiences to trigger your imagination when you sit down to write.4. Your dreams – Some writers find that their dreams trigger their imaginations, but forget by morning the content of these dreams. Keep a pen and notepad by the bed or use the record feature on your phone to capture dream details. Don’t let the richness of your dreams go to waste.