When inspiration strikes
As a so-called “creative type,” I have an awkward relationship with inspiration.
My muses can be fickle: Sometimes they strike when it’s least convenient and drive me to finish an entire photography book in a few hours. Other times, they abandon me for days to the tyranny of the blank page.
Inspiration can seem so fleeting, and so arbitrary. You never know where it’s going to come from. Sometimes you wonder if it’ll ever come at all. But—occasionally—when something grabs you for reasons you don’t understand, it’s magic.
I had one of those moments this morning while reading an article my friend Tom (aka, “The Blogfodder”) sent me. It was a fascinating look at an unexpected collision of two cultures in Queens. But, as much as I was intrigued by the sociological implications, I found myself drawn to a single sentence:
It started with the coconuts.
Has there ever been a more perfect opening line for a short story?
I’ll be back with the results in a few days.
Filed under: Attempted humor, Friends and family, Grammar and usage, Psychology, Writing | Leave a Comment
Tags: creatives, inspiration, muse, New York Times, postaday2011
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