by Naomi L. | August 23, 2017 | Blog, Creative Writing |
There’s nothing quite like being in love, and for a writer who’s passionate about romance, it can be a gold mine of inspiration. I know that ever since I fell in love (most recently), I’ve found it much easier to write romantic stories and poetry, and even fiction in general. There’s plenty of creative inspiration to be found in love, so it’s only natural for artists to include so much of it in their art!
So for fun, today’s post is dedicated to a special someone who inspires much of my creative side. Here are three ways I’ve found that being in love can inspire your writing. Enjoy!
1) Being in love brings out the beauty in life.
As much as it sounds like a scene out of a cheesy romantic cartoon, being in love really does make the world around you more beautiful. And beauty is at the heart of so many of the most sincere and emotional works of art. Ever since falling in love, I’ve had a brighter outlook on life and a much deeper insight into the positive things in the world, and these have certainly manifested in my stories as romantic plots, satisfying conflict resolution, and happy endings.
If you are or have ever been mutually in love, chances are you too have seen the world become a little brighter for it. You may know it poetically as “rose-colored glasses”, “butterflies in your stomach”, or “head over heels”, and maybe it’s even gone as far as to make you want to dance or shout with joy. Don’t limit that light to your real-world experiences; let it guide your imagination too! Write about the fluttering of the heart in a moment of passion or how much more vivid colors become through the eyes of a person in love. If writers should write what they know, then why not write about the magic in your life? It can often make for the most beautiful works of art!
2) Being in love helps relieve stress and anxiety.
Sometimes I don’t even need to be writing romance to be inspired by love. As many writers well know, stress and anxiety can be real creativity killers depending on the kind of stories or poetry you’re trying to write. Unfortunately, the times we’re living in seem to be producing an overabundance of those bad feelings, which can translate into a severe lack of motivation for many of us. Maybe you can turn that anxiety into an aggressive streak of darker stories and poetry if that’s your style, but for writers like me, who favor romance and happy endings, it generally puts me out of the mood to create at all.
So whenever I’m feeling too stressed or anxious to write, I remind myself of how happy my significant other makes me and how good a place I’ve been in since we fell in love. Maybe it goes against the grain of the “tortured artist” stereotype, but I’m sure I do most of my best (or at least most productive) work when I feel emotionally fulfilled and free of tension. That’s not to say one should only ever use positive experiences in their fiction or poetry; after all, conflict is at the heart of every engaging story and many of the most interesting poems, and you absolutely should accept inspiration from your negative experiences too. But if you can, let real-life love motivate you to at least get those words out of your head. Not only is it one of the best treatments against stress and anxiety, it’s also a great cure for writer’s block!
3) Being in love can motivate you to be a better writer.
The great thing about love is that when you find it with the right person, you inspire each other to become better people. If nothing else, being in love gives me the motivation I need to be the best version of myself I can be. The amazing feeling of being loved by someone else pushes me to keep improving in the areas of my life that matter most, and few of those areas matter more to me than my passion for writing.
So I keep on giving it my all when I write, because if I deserve that special someone who works hard for both of us and does everything he can to support my passion, then he deserves someone who will work just as hard to help support him through her craft and keep coloring his life with all the art she creates. Relationships are all about teamwork, and if you’re really in love, you’ll want to put in the effort to make yours work. And if that includes being a better writer, then by all means let your love push you to keep reaching for those creative stars!
What about you? Have you ever been in love? How has that love inspired your writing?
by Naomi L. | July 14, 2017 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Poetry |
The youngest sister in the family
Has always known the joy of having more:
The parents’ attention for the baby
And stuff from two sisters who came before.
It wasn’t always easy for the rest:
The elder two who hardly had a say.
At being cute, you always were the best,
And never seemed to fail to get your way.
Yet ever since the day you came along,
You’ve blessed us all, a gift from God above.
You grace us with your energy and song,
And fill our lives with never-ending love.
So Happy Birthday to my baby sis!
With love from your big sister, with a kiss!
Happy Birthday to my awesome baby sister! Keep on being the wonderful person you are! I love you!
by Naomi L. | June 23, 2017 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Poetry |
Only the middle sister truly knows
The challenges of being two in one:
A mentor to the youngest as she grows,
And scapegoat for the eldest to have fun.
You always know the perfect thing to say
To make us laugh until the point of tears.
You’ve cared for us in each and every way
And brought us so much joy throughout the years.
And neither of us know where we would be
Without you there to make life such a game.
No matter where you stand among us three
We both adore and love you just the same.
So Happy Birthday, Sister Number Two!
Love always, the big sister who loves you!
Happy Birthday to my awesome little sister! Keep on being the amazing person you are! I love you!
by Naomi L. | June 21, 2017 | Blog, Creative Writing |
Creative inspiration can come from anywhere, and some of the best comes from the people you love most: your family. Every family member has their own unique qualities and abilities to contribute to your stories, but one in particular stands out for how much unconditional love and care she showers on you: your grandmother! Grandmas have plenty of love to give their grandchildren, so they can serve as great inspiration for grandparent characters in your stories!
So to honor someone special in my life, today’s post features three lessons you can only learn from your grandmother. Enjoy!
1) Grandchildren are meant to be spoiled.
If there’s one thing grandparents are experts at, it’s spoiling their grandkids. Every family visit to my grandmother’s house includes platefuls of delicious homemade food and lots of fussing over us, mostly about how we’re “not eating enough”. She also makes a point of complimenting her granddaughters and telling us how much she adores us, and we can’t help but smile and tell her how much we love her too!
So if you’re writing a grandmother character, be sure to make her as doting as possible of her grandchildren. Have her share her best cooking with them, fuss over them without end, and constantly let them know how much she loves them and that they’re the greatest joys in her life. Grandmothers love spoiling their grandchildren, but that’s fine because we love being spoiled!
2) Nobody cooks like Grandma!
Going back to those “platefuls of food”, one thing I love about visiting my grandma is getting to enjoy the delicious snacks she makes! They’re something we always look forward to when we visit, since we get to enjoy them almost exclusively at family gatherings for special occasions. Her cooking is always a treat, so I’m glad her gift has passed on to my mother (and hopefully someday to me)!
When writing fictional characters who are grandmothers, it’s common to give them the skills to cook and bake delicious treats, especially for their grandchildren! Remember, nobody cooks quite like Grandma does, so for Heaven’s sake, learn those family recipes! You’ll definitely miss them otherwise.
3) No matter how old you get, your grandmother will always see a child in you.
Every time my family and I see my grandma, some story from when I was little inevitably comes up. My grandmother loves reminiscing about when her grandchildren were small enough to be picked up and were doing something adorable every minute, and I can’t really blame her. I too love to remember the good old days of childhood; in fact, my inner child is one of the main reasons I’m a writer today!
If one of the important characters in your story is a grandmother, a good touch is to give her excellent storytelling abilities, as much of her youth as of more recent times when her grandchildren were little. Grandmothers enjoy telling stories of the people they love most, so grandchildren will naturally be a favorite subject for them! And if nothing else, telling your own story inspired by your grandmother may be the best way to show her how much you love her too!
What lessons have you learned from your grandmother? What other lessons would you add to this list?
Dedicated to my grandmother, whose love has always been a wonderful inspiration. Happy Birthday, Grandma! I love you!
by Naomi L. | June 16, 2017 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Poetry |
The most important man
That a girl will ever know
Is the man who gives her everything
To help her learn and grow.
The most important smile
That a girl will ever see
Is of proud encouragement
For the woman she can be.
The most important words
That a girl will ever hear
Are the first to say she’s beautiful,
Intelligent and dear.
The most important lesson
That a girl will ever learn
Is that he’s the only man
To whom she can always turn.
He loves his daughter dearly,
Gives her everything he can.
And I wouldn’t be this woman
If it weren’t for that man.
I don’t know how to thank him
For the things he always did
To give me the greatest life
Ever since I was a kid.
But I know he’ll always be there
To catch me if I fall.
And of all the men I know,
He’s the greatest one of all.
So thanks for being awesome
And for everything you do!
Happy Father’s Day to you, Dad,
From a daughter who loves you!
Happy Father’s Day to my amazing dad! Thank you for all the love and support you’ve given me my whole life! I love you!
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