If you weren’t a homebody before the pandemic, chances are you’re probably one now.

Personally, I’ve always loved being at home, which is very much connected to the fact that I’m an introvert. At home, I can just be in my quiet little bubble. Everything is familiar and safe, and I have few worries. I work from home, too, so the majority of my time is spent there.

I think many of you can probably relate to that after the past couple of years we’ve had. Home is a great place to be, and when we’re done with work for the day, we’re rushing to get back to that safe, comfortable haven.

But staying home all the time isn’t conducive to productive writing.

I’ve mentioned before how seeking out new memories is crucial to getting new ideas, but getting out of the house to write is an idea that can’t be overstated. To stimulate your imagination, you need to be in different surroundings and see new things. There are so many incredible things to experience in this world that you’ll never run out of inspiration – as long as you get out there.

Everyone is different, and you probably already know your favourite kind of atmosphere to work in. I like coffee shops and being outside. While quiet is good, I’ve actually found that a gentle buzz of chatter and/or music is ideal for me. And being outdoors, especially, gives me plenty of ideas from nature.

As an example, this whole post was inspired by a short writing trip I took yesterday. (See? Getting out of the house yesterday is already paying off!) Within just a few minutes of leaving my car, I saw a towering tree filled with small, blooming yellow flowers. As the wind started to blow, the flowers rained down all around me and I couldn’t help but smile. It was beautiful.

And then my imagination kicked into gear.

What if there was a forest that constantly rained flowers? I thought. How incredible would that be?

Not only did I have a wonderful experience, but I got a good idea that I packed away for something in the future (which I’m sure you’ll see in a story sooner or later). And this happened many times throughout the day as I alternated between writing and exploring.

I think nature is my biggest inspiration for most of the things I write – I love looking at the world and imagining what would happen if things were just a little bit different. Creation is so vast that I could never see all of it, and it’s so mind-blowingly amazing that sometimes it already feels like I’m living in a fantasy world.

Find your inspiration this weekend. Get out of the house and explore this amazing world; I guarantee you’ll find something that will kick your imagination right into gear.

Before you leave, don’t forget to subscribe to my monthly newsletter and get the first instalment of “The Fictional Freelancer” coming up on Monday, plus a free writing guidebook and monthly tips, reviews, interviews, giveaways, and more!

Happy writing!
-E.J.

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Photo by Na visky on Unsplash