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Thursday, April 19, 2012

Q is for Quarries

Twenty-Six Days of Creative Inspiration


I need visuals when I world build. It doesn't matter if it's a real place or one in a galaxy far far away.

My number one "go to" is the annual National Geographic week by week calendar. I have used their amazing photos as springboards not just for settings, but also details. There are some strange and wonderful flowers, plants, and animals in this world.


My second "go to" is the playground that is Google Images. That's where I caught quarry fever while randomly searching odd locations. Quarries are the places where anything from salt to marble is dug from the earth. The magic comes when the digging is finished and an altered landscape is born.


As a kid I swam in quarries that had been converted to public pools. They always had an "other worldly" quality to them, and were quite beautiful.

Where is your "go to" when you are looking for visual inspiration in your writing?

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20 comments:

  1. I also use National Geographic, Leslie, but confess that Pinterest is becoming a bit of a visual go to for me.

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  2. The world. Like for my newest project I found this estate that was built in the 1800's and now every time I'm out I'm stalking the place. I need to just take a picture of it so I don't waste so much stinking gas:)

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  3. I guess I've always been a go to the beach person when I need some solace or inspiration. I love the sea and its calming or stirring affect on me. Our quarries aren't as picturesque as those in your pictures, so I haven't been tempted by them.

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  4. My favorite visual haunt is Deviant Art. It's true I have to wade through 100 images for every one image I find that I like, but I've gotten some AMAZING ideas! But if I'm looking for something specific for a setting, I just google like crazy. Quarries are such an interesting setting. I find them beautiful, but just a little spooky.

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  5. Great post and great idea, which (duh) hadn't occurred to me. I'm off to search for a setting. Thanks.

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  6. I love looking at pictures to get an idea for a story. I used this strategy at a writing workshop that I did. Fun!

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  7. Pictures always help me get story ideas!! I go to Google and look up exotic landscapes, too! It's a ton of fun!! Great Q word!!

    So nice to meet you!!

    http://writeskatedream-jmckendry.blogspot.com

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  8. Quarries are fascinating! Especially defunct ones, where a strange mix of nature and industry takes over.

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  9. I have to echo Joanne. I can get LOST FOR DAYS on the National Geographic sight. Their infinite pics ap is so, so cool. But Pinterest is becoming my go to for quick find pics. I love it.

    Martina

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  10. I love visuals too! They're wonderful. And that's the perfect site to get 'em! Love the pics. Beautiful!

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  11. For me, pictures always inspire writing ideas... and that sounds like the perfect site!

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  12. I love to look at pictures to get inspired. I don't have a go to place- but I do use Google images regularly (so maybe that is my "go to"). I am going to use the National Geographic site/calendars now that I have read about it here! Great idea! I do find that drawing out a scene or character really helps to get my writing flowing. Terrific Q word! I bet swimming in an old quarry would be magical.

    ~Jess

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  13. I don't often use visuals to kickstart my writing. I often look at pictures and think 'I should write something inspired by that' but I rarely actually get around to the writing lol However, that doesn't mean that I shouldn't have a National Geographic calendar! Guess what I just added to my wish list? LOL

    ~ Rhonda Parrish

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  14. Now that's a cool idea--quarries to public pools? Sign me up!

    Great photos! I don't really use visuals for inspirations. At least I don't go looking for them, but I have been struck by certain images that sometimes prompt ideas.

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  15. I use google images too. Never thought about national geo - they have such amazing photos on that site! :)

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  16. Waving and throwing cupcakes at all my cool new followers. Y'all rock!

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  17. I love anything Google: images, maps, and the Earth software. It's so easy to do research, although I go off on tangents and start looking at other things.

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  18. I look at my own photos of the Cape whenever I need to just be reminded of what enthused me about the original idea in the first place.
    When you're bogged down in revision you can easily forget what the magical initial inspiration was.

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  19. There's an old quarry, Steers Pit in Northport, NY. But now it's filled with homes. Did you read Princess Academy? The quarry is a setting.

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