by Marilla Mulwane

Created on: November 04, 2009

Most writers sit at their desk in their office, surrounded by pictures of their kids. They feel protected from distraction in that safe space. Then there are those writers who have large photos of beautiful landscapes on the walls of their office. Why not actually go outside and let the great outdoors inspire you?

Your backyard can be a great place for writing.

-The fresh air can stimulate the senses-

When you are in a stuffy room, your breathing becomes heavier. Outside, you can breathe in the fresh air, and all the smells. This will wake you up immediately, and invigorate your body and your mind. You will be more alert and your writing will only benefit from it.

-Nature tends to make people ponder life-

Ever sit outside watching a sunset, and suddenly you start to wonder why that sunset was created and for what purpose? You feel good about the beautiful glow, and you get warm and fuzzy. Those feelings and emotions are great for writers. They will get your creative juices flowing and your words will be more heartfelt.

-The view can set the scene in your writing-

It does not matter if you have a beautiful view of mountains and a reflecting lake, or if your backyard faces the wall of another building. What you have around you can create a scene in a story. Do not look at just the whole picture before you. Look deeper at the smaller things. What about that pine tree with the hole in the bottom? Could an animal have lived there? That would work as cute children's story. If your backyard is littered with children's toys, you could write a humorous story about someone tripping over them. No, these are not award winning ideas, but the start for something better. Use your imagination. You are a writer, you must have one.

-People watching helps to create new and interesting characters and situations-

If you live in the city or a large neighborhood, chances are when you sit outside you will see people going about their daily lives. Whether it is the working mom saying goodbye to her kids, or the obese neighbor mowing his lawn in spandex shorts, you can use what you see to create characters. Watch what they do, how they move and act when alone as opposed to how they act around others. It is amazing how much you can learn just by watching the people around you. Your characters will become very real if you use what you see.

I enjoy sitting outside when I write for the cool breeze and the warm sun. I have a beautiful view, but there are very few people around. There is always something about your backyard that could inspire you. The next time you want to write, set up a table and chair outside, and take a deep breath and a good look around.

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