Many of my clients share my value of nature. Being in nature – a park, mountain, stream, garden – can bring us back to center. For me, being surrounded by green calms and energizes me at the same time. I love cities, and I always seek out the parks and little gardens that make the concrete jungles bearable.
So it’s no surprise to me when people tell me that nature inspires them. That they enjoy being outside and even seek places outside to write and create. I am happy to know that we value screen-free time in nature.
Novelist Tina Welling has written a book for people like us who cherish the gifts the natural world gives to our creativity. Writing Wild: Forming a Creative Partnership with Nature, delves into this relationship that gives us so much.
Writing Wild is a wonderful guide not only to the outside world, but to the world inside us. Tina writes about the body and how we must have a deep awareness of our own physical, mental and emotional responses in order to write truthfully. A deeper connection to nature fosters this deeper connection to ourselves.
As we head into summer, know that all that time you’ll spend camping, hiking, swimming and otherwise enjoying this planet’s green goodies is fueling your creativity.
I’m giving away a copy of Tina’s book, Writing Wild. To enter the drawing, please leave a comment here about how you experience nature’s benefits to your creativity. What’s one thing you do regularly in nature that makes a difference to you?
Leave a comment by Monday June 9th. A winner will be chosen at random.
I enjoy sitting by the mountain creeks, listening to the rush of the water and letting that sound replenish everything in me that has been depleted.
I try to get out in nature everyday – whether for a walk with the dogs or biking, or just simply sitting and observing, breathing it all in. It never fails to center me. Many times I also think of things I wish to write about or it helps me to become unstuck, or think of new ideas.
Walking in North Carolina I’ve reawakened to the beauty of dappled light under trees, the sound of song birds engaged in symphonic exchanges, the hum of insects, the heartfelt croaks of amphibians deep in the night, the rustling of leaves disturbed by creatures frolicking. How can I not find inspiration from nature?
Most days of the week, my writing practice takes me outdoors. The mix of the wide blue sky, the earth that grounds me, the sound of palm fronds rattled by soft breezes… all of nature seems me to connect me to a primordal energy that deepens my writing practice.
I’ve taken my notebooks outdoors to write in nature from coast to coast in the U.S. From California to Florida. Along the west coast in California, Oregon and Washington. All throughout the mountain region from Montana to Arizona. Amid the corn fields in the midwest, and so many places between. I can’t imagine ever stopping taking my writing outside.
I did not really think about this before, but I have been lucky enough to live by or within walking distance of “nature”. Even when I lived in a large city like London! Some how the abundance of hideaway nature trails such as arboretums, eco parks, and now in our recent move, well known foot paths, were always available to me.
My take away from nature is time… a refreshing reminder to take things slow. In this world of technology and short attention spans, taking some time to walk, observe little things, and sketch really helps me decompress. I usually do these activities with my children and I notice a calming effect it has on them.
I am not a professional writer, but I do seek the outdoors to do journaling and almost always when I need a “break”. The sound of water draws me, the edge of a stream or lake, but not like it did before the floods. Yesterday I was stream side and noticed that I felt a slight bit nervous…. that was new. I love birdsong, breezes, picnics and watching the hillsides turn colors with wildflowers. Since I am seeking to improve my writing, this book seems like complimentary to my current journey.
Thank you all for these insightful comments! I love hearing how nature feeds us and our creativity.
At random, I chose one of the commenters here, and the winner of this book is…..
Anne Doyle!!
Congratulations, Anne! Can you please email me your postal address and I’ll ship the book right out to you!
Thanks to everyone who took the time to consider this question. May you all get plenty of time in nature this summer!
So exciting to win…thank you, Cynthia! I look forward to reading Writing Wild.
Cheers!