One of the things I've noticed over the years is that great writers are generally great observers. They notice and remember lots of things the rest of the world often overlooks.
If you think about it, what is writing, but a bunch of "observations" about something: A person or people... or events, or "things?"
Red Admiral butterfly
For me-- and for a large number of other writers I know-- writing has typically grown out of "looking DEEPLY" at the world and what's in it. It's about seeing things and remembering them... and then perhaps finding an unconventional way to put what you just saw next to something else you saw a long time ago.
What you come up with isn't necessarily a "new idea," but a new way of looking at existing ideas.
Maybe that all sounds overly simplistic... but even though we may feel like we're looking at what's in front of us, we often aren't really seeing what's there. For me-- even though I have often been called an "observer" and "watcher" in life-- it was a practice to learn to truly "see."
What do I mean by that?
It's one thing to look at an unfolding scene and say "Yeah, it's a red sunset."
"Red Hot Poker"
It's quite another to be aware and awake to everything that's actually happening, in front of you. What did it smell like-- was there a bonfire? Or the smell of rain on hot pavement?
Did something "move" out in the edge of the picture? What was it? A flock of birds? A bus, on a distant road? A dog crossing the street?
How did you feel while standing there? Did you feel joyful? Wistful? Cold?
Were other people present? Did they say something... or do something strange? Was there a sound? Birds? A lawnmower in the background?
We often think we're really "paying attention," yet I've found that our attention tends to often be very "flat..." unless we actively practice paying attention. And that means being a lot more engaged in your environment than merely observing "that's a red sunset."
My own writing improved considerably after someone taught me the value of truly seeing what's in front of me... although I was helped somewhat by my life-long interest in macro photography, another field which requires you to pay close attention, in order to find the best images.
So next time you're out and about... take a few extra seconds to appreciate what's really there!
How about you? Do you consider yourself a good observer? Do you tend to notice small details and nuances other people miss? Have you found that "paying attention" gives you ideas for writing, later on? Leave a comment-- share your experiences and feedback-- be part of the conversation!
(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
Published 20170925 17:59 PDT
