| How to Get Inspired to Write Posted: 21 Aug 2018 01:00 AM PDT All writers need to refresh their inspiration from time to time. Daily life is full of writing inspiration, and inspiration can be found in books and stories as well. Boosting your creativity will help generate fresh ideas and beat writer's block. Almost anything can be a muse, so try different methods and inspirations to get inspired for your next masterpiece! EditHelp with Starting to Write EditFinding Daily Inspiration - Carry a writing journal or a recorder with you at all times. If you always have your journal and recorder, you'll be prepared for any time time inspiration strikes. You can jot down a note when inspiration comes, and you can record interesting dialogue you overhear.
- Record things like interviews with interesting people, unique dialogue suggestions, or personal notes to revisit later.
- Select a notebook that suits your style, whether simple and plain or fancy and elaborate.
- Keep a page just for quotes.
- List writing prompts or themes you'd like to write about to come back to later.
- Journal every day to use your writing muscles and find inspiration.[1]
- Change your scenery or environment to freshen things up. Switching up your environment can boost your imagination and loosen up ideas. Make small changes, like in writing location, or travel somewhere different. This will give you a fresh perspective and offer new ideas.[2]
- Work in another room of your house, visit a nearby coffee shop, or go outside and write.
- If you write on your computer, you can change your desktop background.
- Write about what you observe. If you are lacking inspiration, picking something in your environment is a good place to start.Whether in public of private, pick an item or an interaction and write about it. Include details on who, what, why, how, and when. Mention as much detail as possible.
- Writing about what you see helps put you in the present moment and works on your attention to detail.
- Choose an object in the room, like a grandfather clock. Write about the appearance of the clock, about the history of the clock, and about the clock's origins.
- Visit a busy place and people-watch for ideas. Human beings can be great writing inspiration, and they are easy to find in a busy, public setting. Travel to a public place, find interesting characters, and watch them for inspiration. Write about their appearance, actions, and words.[3]
- Visit places like an airport, shopping mall, or outdoor park.
- People-watch interesting, unique people and simple, normal humans. Both can give you inspiration.
- Listen to others' dialogue when in public. Innocent eavesdropping can make for great writing inspiration. When you are in a public place like a mall, restaurant, or movie theater, listen for interesting lines people say. Write them down and use them in your next story.[4]
- For example, if you overhear a couple fighting, use this for your own story.
- If you hear someone passionately ranting about politics, jot down some of their lines to revisit later.
EditStimulating Your Creativity - Try word association to get the ideas flowing. This will help you think of different ideas and work your imagination. Open a dictionary, pick a word at random, and write down everything that comes to mind on the topic.[5]
- Choose something like "freedom," and write everything that reminds you of freedom, such as birds, flying, or open sky.
- Freewrite to generate ideas. Freewriting helps you get words on the page, regardless of theme or intention of the piece. Choose a topic, open up to a fresh page, and write. Don't worry about what you are writing, just focus on filling the page. You can come back to your writing and expand upon it later, or do this just get the gears turning for your next piece.[6]
- Write a narrative or free associations.
- You can write for a certain amount of time or until you fill up a certain number of pages. This is your choice.
- An example includes writing on tigers. Write everything that comes to mind about tigers, such as when you saw them at the zoo when you were 5, or what it would be like to be a tiger in the jungle. Perhaps you use this for a blog post on tigers, or simply to get ideas for your new novel.
- Listen to music to think of new ideas. Music can help you concentrate as well as give your mind space to think of new ideas. Turn on your favorite music, or try a new genre, like folk, classical, or instrumental. [7]
- Use headphones for an intimate listening experience, or turn up the volume on your home speakers.
- Sometimes giving your mind the space be, rather than to think about words, helps you think creatively.
- Use writing prompts to get you started. Writing prompts help you get focused when you are lacking ideas. Choose a prompt that interests you, write down the prompt, set a timer for 30 minutes, and write in reference to the prompt. After the time is up, go back and polish up what you wrote.[8]
- Feel free to set your timer for shorter or longer time increments.
- Use these prompts to write a poem, short story, article--whatever inspires you.
- Writing prompt ideas include "The best day of my life was…" or "Write about the color black."
- Write about your hobbies and interests. Write about sports, art, animals, travel, medicine, cars, people--anything that strikes you. Write a fictional account or a true piece. Using things you already enjoy makes for easy inspiration because you are already interested in the topic. [9]
- For a fictional story, write about your favorite sports hero as if you were them.
- For a blog post, expand upon your favorite recipe. Describe the ingredients used, cooking time and temperature, and why you the dish.
- For a nonfiction piece, write a biographic account about your backpacking trip.
- Reflect on a past memory or event for ideas. Writing about past experiences is a great place to find inspiration because it gets you thinking. Revisit past experiences to find creative inspiration.
- Remember a time when you were so angry you could burst.
- Write about that time you broke your arm on the monkey bars.
- Write from various perspectives, like animals and inanimate objects. Instead of writing from your perspective or the perspective of another human, try animals, insects, or objects. Think about what they would think, feel, hear, or say, and use these to describe your piece.
- Write a story from the perspective of a household item, like a stapler or thumb tack.
- Tell a tale from your pet dog or cat's perspective.
EditUsing Books or Stories for Inspiration - Find a news story for inspiration. If you can't think of your own story topic, open up a newspaper or Google an interesting subject. Find a headline and read the story. Write an entirely new story based on this topic, or use this existing story in a new, creative way.
- Ask questions like, "Who was the man and why did he act this way?" or "What about our current political system made this new policy change?" and write your responses.
- Expand upon the story by writing your own take of what happened.[10]
- Read a book, blog, or magazine for new ideas. Read other work to find new topics to write about or angles on similar topics. Then write a poem about what you've learned. Learning about something new is great writing inspiration, and seeing what inspires others may inspire you. [11]
- Read works by writers you love or hate, or by writers you've never heard of.
- Find a magazine on a topic you are interested in, and skim the pages.
- Open up a copy of National Geographic and look for a new discovery.
- Read one of your favorite poems and look at it with a fresh perspective.
- Pick out a book from your library. Skim the pages to get an idea of the theme and characters. See what ideas you generate based off of this unread book.
- Watch a movie for inspiration. Look for characters to build off of, dialogue to work with, or landscapes to set your stories in. Then, use these elements to write your own story or novel. Movies can offer great ideas on dialogue, characters, or scenery. [12]
- Watch a movie of your choice and look for details to write about. Is there a particularly interesting character? Are there artful camera angles that inspire you to look at something a new way?
- Look at a piece of art and write about how it makes you feel. View artwork in person or online, and write out details of the artwork. Include your thoughts and feelings. Then, expand upon what you wrote in a short story or poem.[13]
- Visit a nearby art museum or search of famous art pieces online. Contemplate the artwork. How does it make you feel? How does the subjects of the piece feel?
- Writing about another creative medium can help trigger your own inspiration.
- Try creating "blackout poetry" from a page of text. Select a page from a newspaper, magazine, or book and grab a black permanent marker. Glace at the page, and look for words that strike you. Make a line through the words you don't want to use with your marker, leaving just a few words. The remaining words make up your poem.[14]
- You can experiment with blacking out many words to make short poems, or only blacking out some words to make longer poems.
- You can write a broad narrative using nouns, verbs, and adjectives, or create a more coherent story using words like "is," "of," and "the."
EditBeating Writer's Block - Set a deadline for your writing. Sometimes it is easier to find inspiration when you are under pressure. Make yourself accountable by setting your own deadlines. Sticking to your deadlines helps keep you writing![15]
- Set the goal to write 1,000 words a day, one article a week, or one poem a day--whatever works for you and your goals.
- Exercise to stimulate blood flow and generate ideas. Exercise boosts brain activity by increasing blood flow, which is helpful when looking for inspiration to write. Giving yourself a break to get moving will help your subconscious make connections, so when you are finished you are full of fresh ideas.
- Try running, swimming, cycling, or yoga. Play a sport like tennis or soccer.[16]
- Meditate for 5 or 10 minutes to clear your mind. Take deep breaths, focusing on your inhale and exhale. Step back and relax so you can approach your writing focused and attentive. Give your mind space to reduce stress and increase your focus. The less stressed you are, the easier it will be for your mind to focus on writing.[17]
- Immerse yourself in nature to find peace and inspiration. Taking a step back and changing your perspective will help you focus when you return. Nature can promote intelligence and creativity, offering you a space for connection and reflection.[18]
- Go for a walk or hike in a nearby park, focusing on the trees, landscape, and animals.
- Daydream to gain a new perspective. Let your mind wander on new subjects and ideas to refresh your perspective. Find somewhere quiet, close your eyes, and let your mind generate scenarios of different people and places. Focus on the images that arise rather than associating words with them.[19]
- Think about that interesting character you sat next to in the airport. Imagine what their life is like. Where do they live? What do they do for a living?
- Contemplate what it would be like to be an insect. Think about what it would be like to live in a hive and how strong you would be.
- Join a writing group to find like-minded people. Discussing work with other writers is helpful because it helps you think of subjects to explore. You can also receive feedback for your previous work, so you can expand upon.
- Search for writing communities in your area, or gather peers interested in writing.
- Meet up at a local coffee shop or cafe and discuss your writing ideas. Exchange work for feedback.[20]
- Learn about your favorite writers and their writing habits. Some writers always write in the same location, drink a lot of coffee, or research butterflies. Regardless of the particular habit, many writers found their own ways to get inspired and be productive. Research some of your writing role models to find out what worked for them.[21]
- For example, Ernest Hemingway used to write first thing every morning. Kurt Vonnegut used to do sit ups and push ups in between his writing.[22]
- Start writing a new story if you are stuck. Sometimes a fresh start is all you need to get the creative gears turning. Open up to a new page and work on something else.
- Instead of writing your autobiography, write about the interesting man you met in the supermarket.
- If you are stuck on the ending to your murder mystery, try writing an inspiring account of your hero.
- Experiment with different writing mediums. Your brain will think in different structures when you use different writing mediums, which helps inspiration flow.
- If you have been working on a novel, try to write a poem instead.
- Instead of completing your poetry collection, try writing a short story about your recent vacation.
EditWriting Help - Plagiarism is morally unacceptable, and in some cases, it can land you in court fighting a copyright case. Always remember to credit your sources.
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| How to Choose Brandy Posted: 20 Aug 2018 05:00 PM PDT Brandy is among the luxury line of alcoholic beverages. At its best, it can add elegance and sophistication in a variety of grand social occasions, like weddings, or even a simple weekend party or cozy night-in. EditLearning the Basics - Think about the occasion you're buying brandy for. Are you buying brandy for a wedding or holiday party, or for a casual night in? For yourself or as a gift for a friend? Decide if you want something plain and inexpensive, like plain brandy to chug, or if you're looking to invest in a finer, more expensive brandy that you can sip on like champagne. This will help you to set your sights on a brandy that'll meet your needs and tastes.
- Learn the different types of brandy. Pay a visit to your grocery store, or liquor mart. If you prefer to buy online, visit a wine distillery site, or a cocktail website and do a search for "brandy". Read the labels and descriptions for each bottle of brandy. This will give you an indication of whether it is where it came from, and how it's been distilled. Note that the longer a brandy is aged, the more valuable and finer tasting it will be.
- Understand that the brandy you purchase will either be fruit brandy, pomace brandy or grape brandy. [1] Fruit brandy is most often used as a digestif or for cooking. It is the cheapest, most common type of brandy, and is distilled from fruit wine, and any fruit with the exception of grapes. [2] This type of brandy will be colorless, un-aged and light on taste. [3]
- Pomace brandy is also un-aged, and is usually harsher tasting than aged brandies.
- Recognize how fine brandy is rated. Look out for special characters or fine print in the label or description for each type of brandy. Recognize that the finest of brandies, Cognac and Armagnac, for example, will be branded in a particular style category. [4] This includes: VS (very special); also known as 3-star, VSOP (very special old pale), and XO (extra old).
- VS Cognac is aged at least two years, VSOP Cognac is aged for at least four years, and XO Cognac is aged for at least 20 years. XO is considered the most high-end of Cognac, or brandy.
- Understand that Armagnac is classified slightly differently from Cognac, in that VSOP Armagnac is aged for a minimum of five years. Armagnac that is considered Hors D' Age is aged for a minimum of 10 years. [5]
- Familiarize yourself with terminology. Look for special words on the bottle that tell you where the brandy was distilled and how long it was aged. For example, Marc is French for pomace brandy. A term like Grappa lets you know it was made in Italy or California. Recognize that a term like eau-de-vie is French for colorless, and often times, tasteless.
- If you're having trouble with figuring out the meaning, ask for clarification from a store clerk or someone else who's knowledgeable about the product.
EditExperimenting With Taste - Request to sample different types of brandy. Find a wine distillery or beer pub near you and sign up for a spirits tour or tasting. Or, enroll in a wine tasting class. Ask if you can try aged and mature brandy spirits, such as whiskey premium brandies. [6]See what you can observe by examining the color and consistency.
- Purchase a brandy cocktail from a bar when you're at a restaurant or out with family or friends. Ask your server for a brandy cocktail classic, such as the Sidecar, Pisco Sour or Jack Rose, [7] if you're in the mood for late-night drinking, and are looking for something less expensive than aged brandy.
- Use your sense of smell. Choose a few different types of brandy to sample in a small glass, or in a brandy snifter. Begin with your nose far away from a glass, at recommended chest height. Then, bring it up to your chin. And then lastly, to your nose and mouth. This will allow you to sniff out pepper, cinnamon and other fruit aromas in the brandy. [8] Give your nose time to adjust to the smell of alcohol in the brandy.
- The smell of brandy can be overpowering if you're smelling it for the first time. Keep in mind though, good brandy will have a strong, flavorful aroma.
- Master the art of sipping. Using a brandy snifter or other kind of brandy glass, swirl the brandy at eye level to get a sense of its contents. Be sure to take at least two slow sips to give your tastebuds a sense of like or dislike. Taste each multiple times to give yourself time to adjust your taste palette. If you find the taste is too strong, consider cutting it down with vodka.
- Go blind with brandy tasting by pouring out several types of brandy in several different glasses. Mark the bottom of each glass, and then mix them up so you don't know which kind is which. [9]
- Keep tasting until you find something you like. Don't give up on drinking brandy altogether if you don't enjoy the taste the first few times you've tried it. Continue to sample different types of brandies until you find a few that tickle your fancy. This can lead to interesting discoveries and revelations.
- Try drinking the brandy unadulterated, without ice or water. Pomace brandies, like grappa or Marc may call for an acquired taste, and at the same time taste fruitier to you, due to its lack of age. You may find your taste leans toward cognac. At the end of the day, it's all a matter of personal preference.
EditMaking Final Selections - Explore popular brands. Do an online search for the most popular types of brandies enjoyed in your area, or ask a store associate for insight. Opt for a high-end like French Cognac, Armagnac and Calvados if you're searching for a crisper, finer taste. If you prefer something fruitier or cocktail friendly, look into purchasing Greek Metaxa and South American Pixo brandy. [10] Opt for Brandy de Jerez, Apple Jack or Apple Brandy, Pisco and Eaux-De-Vie if going for a more aromatic taste. [11]
- Determine what foods you'll pair it with. Certain brandies, like Apple and Calvados, go especially well with cheese and white-chocolate. [12]
- Determine your spend. Look up the cost of different types of brandy online. Select a few brands you're interested in and create a budget. Factor in the expenses of brandy that's been aged for long. Brandy aged for a year or so can cost $20 a bottle. Cognac and other high-end brandy can be a bit pricy, and run you as much as $60 a bottle.
- If Cognac has been aged for 20 years or more, it can get as expensive as $150 a bottle. Cognac that's been aged for 100 years can run as much as $10,000 dollars per bottle. [13]
- Ask for suggestions. Ask your friends and family for suggestions on what brandy you should purchase. Visit distillery and wine sites online and read over their recommendations for the best type of brandy for first-time buyers. Log into a site like Yahoo Answers or Ask.com and ask for suggestions. There will be many opinions, but you'll ultimately have to decide what you're willing to try, as well as what works best for your desires and budget.
- The longer they are aged; the more expensive they will get, so remember: you can always order a single snifter at a restaurant or bar. It may be more pricey than you might like, but much cheaper than buying a bottle that you end up not liking.
- Brandy that is aged for a hundred years or more is considered vintage brandy. This includes prestigious brands like Hennessy Louis XIII or Hardy Noces D'Or.
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| How to Be a Good Neighbour Posted: 20 Aug 2018 09:00 AM PDT Getting along well with your neighbors makes your community a happier and safer place to live. The key to being a good neighbor is clear and consistent communication. Introduce yourself to your neighbors and then stay in contact over time. Try to be courteous by keeping your noise levels low and your yard well-maintained. If you want to go above and beyond, you could even participate in a neighborhood association or watch. EditGetting to Know Your Neighbor EditBeing Respectful and Considerate - Maintain and clean any shared spaces. If you live in a duplex, townhome, or apartment, you might end up sharing responsibility for a hallway, entrance, or yard with your neighbors. Do your part to keep these spaces as nice as possible by removing or carefully storing your personal items, such as bikes or grills. Pick up any trash that you see, too.[1]
- For example, to maintain a lawn space, talk with your neighbor about rotating mowing duties each week.
- Care for your own yard and garden. To avoid unsightly overgrown grass, stick to a lawn maintenance schedule that includes regular mows throughout the year. In the fall, make sure to collect and dispose of your leaves. Trim back any trees or bushes and clean up any flowerbeds.[2]
- If you can't do this maintenance on your own, consider hiring a professional lawn service.
- Put your trash out at the right time and day. To keep your neighbors happy and your home clean, take out your trash according to the local schedule. Also, use the correct trash containers and follow any restrictions regarding chemicals or oversized items. If trash day passes and you notice that a particular item has not been picked up, call waste services for your area to ask why it was left behind.
- Most waste companies have very particular policies regarding what types of trash they will pick up and how it must be set out. For example, it may not be enough to simply place large branches by the curb of your house. You might need to cut and tie them into bundles.
- Following the local trash rules also helps to cut down on the presence of pests and vermin, such as mice.
- Keep your pets quiet and under control. Closely follow all of your local laws regarding pet ownership. Have your animals fully vaccinated, licensed, and on a leash when in your front yard or neighborhood. If you have dogs, enroll them in training courses to curb outside barking and noisiness. If they persist in barking, then bring them inside.[3]
- Let your neighbors know that they can come talk with you if your pets are ever bothering them. For example, you might say, "If you ever hear my dog barking too much in the evenings, just let me know."
- If you are walking in your neighborhood, practice common courtesy by picking up your pet's poop, too.
- Follow your area's noise regulations. Go to your city's webpage and look up the rules regarding noise. You'll find that certain noises, such as loud home repairs, are restricted to particular hours of the day. Keep this in mind as you go about your daily life and try to avoid being disruptive, especially during early morning or evening hours.[4]
- If you live in an apartment complex, the leasing company will usually provide you with a list of community rules, which usually includes a statement about noise.
- Go ahead and lower your noise level if you even think that you are being loud.
- Use what you know about your neighbors to determine what is appropriate, too. For example, if you know that the person next door works nights, then take that into account and adjust your noise levels accordingly.
EditGetting to Know Your Neighbors - Introduce yourself. If you've recently moved in, go over to your neighbors and say "hello." If you've lived in an area for a while, then take the initiative and reach out to new arrivals yourself. As part of welcoming someone to the area, feel free to offer them a small moving in gift.[5]
- For a more informal approach, say hi to your neighbors when they (or you) are outside walking their dog or working on their lawn.
- When you first meet your neighbor you might say, "Hi! I'm Fred Thompson. I live 2 doors down from you and just wanted to come over and welcome you to the neighborhood."
- You can also give you neighbor any friendly local tips, such as what time the garbage or mailman stops by.
- A welcoming gift can be anything from a friendly card to a basket filled with local foods or produce.
- Do your neighbors a favor when possible. If you see your neighbor struggling with a package, offer to help them. If you notice that they do not have a mower, offer to let them use yours for a bit. If you are helpful to your neighbors, don't feel ashamed when you need to reach out for assistance as well.[6]
- For example, if your neighbor is going out of town, they might ask you to watch over their home. Then, when you take a trip, you can ask them to return the favor.
- Attend and host neighborhood events and associations. Invite a few of your neighbors over for a nice dinner or barbeque. Find out if your home makes you eligible to participate in a local community organization or watch group. If not, talk to your neighbors and create your own. These are great ways to get to know your neighbors whether you've been in the area for days or years.[7]
- For example, a community association could work together to put on a local street festival or even small dinners.
EditCommunicating Openly with Your Neighbors - Stay calm when talking with your neighbor. If your neighbor comes to you with a concern or problem, it's important to respond calmly and rationally. If you start to get frustrated, take a few deep breaths before answering. You can also ask to postpone the conversation until you have a bit of time to think.[8]
- For example, to give yourself a few days to think everything over, you might say, "I understand where you are coming from, but I need to consider how to fix it on my end. Can we talk about this over the weekend again?"
- Deal with any problems face to face. If you have any issue that involves your neighbor, it's important to act fast. Go to them directly and tell them what is going on. Ask for their help in finding a solution that will work for both of you. Giving your neighbor a chance to come up with a solution is better than immediately reaching out to local authorities.[9]
- This doesn't necessarily apply if you feel as if the safety of you, your family, or the neighborhood is at stake. In those situations, you might want to reach out to local officials for assistance.
- Avoid gossiping about any issues with your neighbor to other neighbors or people in the community. This only creates additional problems.
- Give your neighbors notice before parties. If you plan on having a large group of people come over, it never hurts to give your neighbors a heads up. This lets them determine if they'll need to park elsewhere or move their cars for the night. It also alerts them that lots of 'new' people will be in the neighborhood and that it might get loud.[10]
- The same goes for any other large, loud gatherings, such as ongoing construction.
- After a special event, such as the birth of a baby, it never hurts to give your neighbors a small, thoughtful gift.[11]
- Mind your own business about personal matters. Do not gossip.
- No matter how much you try to establish a friendship with certain neighbors, it might not always happen. In these scenarios, try not to take it personally and instead focus on living next to one another peacefully.
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