the importance of field trips

So you're in a slump. Writer's block, whatever you call it. You're tired of researching online and still looking for something to inspire you, something to help you make it through that difficult scene. Or maybe you just need a fresh look at your character's personality or biography. Take a field trip. Go somewhere your character would go. Find a place that will put you in the mood. Maybe it's just a walk in your neighborhood. Maybe it's a specific park or geographical detail or shop. But go. Open your mind and heart and cool things will happen, I promise you. It's a bit of magic in the creative process, whether you are a writer, photographer, sculptor, or even a lab rat, getting out of your normal surroundings for a little field trip of the mind can work wonders. Don't make it a mental vacation. Don't check out. This is work, but of the most adventurous and exciting kind. Be open to serendipity, opportunity, and chance. Be spontaneous. Do things you wouldn't normally do. Go places you might not normally do... all withing the realm of common sense of course. And come back to your work fresh!