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Wherever I live, I try to identify places where I can hide from others and be alone with my thoughts and imagination. Often these places are in nature. Just as often, they’re a favorite room in a museum or a table in a beloved pub or a bench where the people-watching is great. When I lived in Oxfordshire, one of these places was actually the grave of Eric Blair — known more commonly as author George Orwell — in Sutton Courtenay. I’d often bring a picnic blanket, spread out, and scribble in my notebook for an hour or two in his company, maybe even do a little reading, before popping into the local pub for a pint.
What are some of the best — and strangest — places you visit to find inspiration and create?
Note: This question was posed just over a year ago here, but my Substack was still very new and the interaction was not what I hoped for. With such a larger readership now, I’m revisiting arts questions that deserve more of our time.
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What a lovely plan. I believe that putting these intentions out into the world creates an energy that leads you in a certain direction.
SO I am going to declare that "within the next five years, I am going to live in Istanbul*for six months and write a book about the Bosphorus, as well as many articles about the city, which will definitely include a whole series on the great Spice Market!
Let It Be So!
*This might break the cycle that in the last 20 years, each time have aimed to go there SOMETHING happens (family emergency, civil unrest, eye surgery... the last time, it was the pandemic... I literally had a ticket to head over there on March 13, 2020)!
I find thinking about writing during bike rides to be very conducive to bad things happening in traffic lol (see why https://www.instagram.com/sordoveloz/), but yes to solitary walks (and saunas/showers)!
Yes, it depends where you live. We are lucky in having access to lots of quiet lanes, and also a canal towpath. But you can never completely shut off the part of the brain that is attending to the external world.
I imagine these rides to be completely idyllic! I live in Mexico City, which has perhaps the best cycling infrastructure of any city I've lived in (in New Zealand, Australia, and Mexico). I frequently find myself alone on suburban streets, which are all one-way streets so there are no oncoming vehicles to worry about, but as I am deaf, I won't hear anything coming up behind me. In Mexico City, however, bikes have the same legal right to the full lane as cars, and cars must change lanes to pass you, so there is no sudden experiences of cars passing inches away from you. However, I did get t-boned by a bus and knocked unconscious for about 5 minutes in October 2023, which was because I was in my mind thinking about something other than being present in traffic on my bike! Never saw the bus, and the driver never saw me either.
Being out in the open air is where I get my head straight, so walking anywhere really. My parents live at the foot of Dartmoor so the moors are an excellent place for headspace. I’m not sure I have anywhere close to home but the hush of museums and libraries is always pretty special.
I write *a lot* in museums, in particular. I miss the UK's green spaces for inspiration, though. Where I live has pretty aggressive nature spaces, which make it difficult to relax.
Weirdly, nowhere. I have been trying to fit in creativity at the edges of my life for so long that I kind of can make it work regardless of location/setting. I am pretty good at thinking about WIP regardless, in whatever stolen moments whenever and wherever I can find them.
The actual writing requires more time -- I am not good at doing things in 15-minute chunks.
This is a "maybe again/someday/next life" response. My favorite room for inspiration would be the Long Room at Trinity College in Dublin. I visited Ireland for a wedding there in 2015 and a lovely security guard (who looked like a bouncer at an 80's era punk nightclub) let me through the red rope guarding the "upper level" where one can look down on both the busts of eminences and the patrons working and filing in and out. THAT is where I would want to sit!!
The room was alive with "wabi sabi" history.
Here is a tweet I wrote, waxing on about the inimitable scent of that room:
It’s always about movement. Being a native New Yorker born and raised in a “2 fare zone” that plays a huge role. The 3 train was never close to me. It was a 15 minute walk or 25 minute bus ride. The L also wasn’t close as it was further than the 3. The A was at the edge of my neighborhood. It was a half hour bus ride.
There were local hacks we all knew of and as I got older I relied on these tactics. And once I got into college -going to BMCC -Chambers street in Tribeca and then eventually NYU in the Village.
My hood has one of the cities longest commutes. Lots of time for reading.
Then once I got to writing, the ride gave me lots of time to ponder the scripts issues. But since the commute is so long the destination had to pack a punch.
Central Park is too damn far. Hour plus ride.
Then you gotta find your spot in the park.
The younger me, the Village, Soho, LES were perfect. This being the 90’s I would buy a script from a vendor for $20 and read it usually at a hole in the wall restaurant.
But I started to venture towards the water. And in New York you’re something like less than 10 miles from a shore no matter where you are in any borough.
That lasted for a long time. Then late 30’s it became more about where can I get a scene, but also take care of business, food shopping, book store or theater close by?
That’s how I choose a location these days. Oh I add in a lot of walks when moving around these places. Most New Yorkers would hop on a train but if it’s 20-30 blocks I’ll walk it. That does wonders for the mind. (And body too!)
This is one of the things I love about New York and I really hate about where I live. I need to know I can walk 30 blocks to my destination, even if I can't always do it. Too many hills or other geographic interruptions ruins the experience for me. And god, how I miss public transport for the inspiration that always came with long rides. I still get it when I hit the city, but it's not as commonplace in the countryside of Australia as I wish it was.
I adore urban street art. I love discovering a pocket of a city that's been co-opted by graffiti artists and discovering new gems around every concrete corner. There's something about the freedom of it that really resonates with me and I always feel incredibly energised and inspired after I've immersed myself in the riot of gritty, rebellious creativity.
Urban exploring is something I enjoy both as a form of relaxation/joy and as a way to find inspiration. So much to discover in a great city, even one you think you know.
There's a disused railway line near my house that has been turned into a lineal park of sorts. The graffiti along the walls there changes every week, as people descend on the area in the small hours of the morning. Lined along the walls are some park tables and workout equipment. I would post a photo here, but can't add photos to Substack comments.
I like coming here on my bike, relaxing with a Penafiel limon & sal sparkling water, and my notebook and pen. Scrawling down ideas, notes, thoughts that usually just stay in these notebooks, although I plan to move them to my computer and actually realize these concepts.
Otherwise, I usually put a movie on my computer and sit at my desk and brainstorm while the movie plays. Sometimes the movie itself inspires ideas, othertimes it just serves to distract me so that I can think, which seems counterintuitive (and maybe a bit disrespectful to the people who made the movie, but these media I've usually seen before), but I find that it helps me get out of myself onto the page.
You continue to sell me on Mexico City. Why aren't you sharing photos of these are part of my "In Search of Beautiful Things (and Inspiration" series?!
There are two book stores here in nelson where I can go and hide,read and think . Also a record store in town is great to browse and contemplate my next purchase. Great post! Thanks
Inverness, Scotland
Someday i’m going to live there for three months and write a novel.
What a lovely plan. I believe that putting these intentions out into the world creates an energy that leads you in a certain direction.
SO I am going to declare that "within the next five years, I am going to live in Istanbul*for six months and write a book about the Bosphorus, as well as many articles about the city, which will definitely include a whole series on the great Spice Market!
Let It Be So!
*This might break the cycle that in the last 20 years, each time have aimed to go there SOMETHING happens (family emergency, civil unrest, eye surgery... the last time, it was the pandemic... I literally had a ticket to head over there on March 13, 2020)!
Manifestation begins with imagination. Make it so.
I find solitary walks and bike rides very conducive to productive thinking.
I find thinking about writing during bike rides to be very conducive to bad things happening in traffic lol (see why https://www.instagram.com/sordoveloz/), but yes to solitary walks (and saunas/showers)!
Yes, it depends where you live. We are lucky in having access to lots of quiet lanes, and also a canal towpath. But you can never completely shut off the part of the brain that is attending to the external world.
I imagine these rides to be completely idyllic! I live in Mexico City, which has perhaps the best cycling infrastructure of any city I've lived in (in New Zealand, Australia, and Mexico). I frequently find myself alone on suburban streets, which are all one-way streets so there are no oncoming vehicles to worry about, but as I am deaf, I won't hear anything coming up behind me. In Mexico City, however, bikes have the same legal right to the full lane as cars, and cars must change lanes to pass you, so there is no sudden experiences of cars passing inches away from you. However, I did get t-boned by a bus and knocked unconscious for about 5 minutes in October 2023, which was because I was in my mind thinking about something other than being present in traffic on my bike! Never saw the bus, and the driver never saw me either.
I'm determined to visit Mexico City next year, and this comment just makes me want to visit even more.
Places high above
Being out in the open air is where I get my head straight, so walking anywhere really. My parents live at the foot of Dartmoor so the moors are an excellent place for headspace. I’m not sure I have anywhere close to home but the hush of museums and libraries is always pretty special.
I write *a lot* in museums, in particular. I miss the UK's green spaces for inspiration, though. Where I live has pretty aggressive nature spaces, which make it difficult to relax.
Weirdly, nowhere. I have been trying to fit in creativity at the edges of my life for so long that I kind of can make it work regardless of location/setting. I am pretty good at thinking about WIP regardless, in whatever stolen moments whenever and wherever I can find them.
The actual writing requires more time -- I am not good at doing things in 15-minute chunks.
For me, location is more of a mind matter. I put on music that reflects my mood or the tone of what I want to write and let that take me there.
I don't think any music exists that can trump the experience of wandering alongside a river passing through green spaces. I'm envious.
Any beach where I can wade out into the water and look at the horizon
Great question.
This is a "maybe again/someday/next life" response. My favorite room for inspiration would be the Long Room at Trinity College in Dublin. I visited Ireland for a wedding there in 2015 and a lovely security guard (who looked like a bouncer at an 80's era punk nightclub) let me through the red rope guarding the "upper level" where one can look down on both the busts of eminences and the patrons working and filing in and out. THAT is where I would want to sit!!
The room was alive with "wabi sabi" history.
Here is a tweet I wrote, waxing on about the inimitable scent of that room:
https://x.com/MamurphyMaureen/status/1828036850411344215
This sounds lovely!
It’s always about movement. Being a native New Yorker born and raised in a “2 fare zone” that plays a huge role. The 3 train was never close to me. It was a 15 minute walk or 25 minute bus ride. The L also wasn’t close as it was further than the 3. The A was at the edge of my neighborhood. It was a half hour bus ride.
There were local hacks we all knew of and as I got older I relied on these tactics. And once I got into college -going to BMCC -Chambers street in Tribeca and then eventually NYU in the Village.
My hood has one of the cities longest commutes. Lots of time for reading.
Then once I got to writing, the ride gave me lots of time to ponder the scripts issues. But since the commute is so long the destination had to pack a punch.
Central Park is too damn far. Hour plus ride.
Then you gotta find your spot in the park.
The younger me, the Village, Soho, LES were perfect. This being the 90’s I would buy a script from a vendor for $20 and read it usually at a hole in the wall restaurant.
But I started to venture towards the water. And in New York you’re something like less than 10 miles from a shore no matter where you are in any borough.
That lasted for a long time. Then late 30’s it became more about where can I get a scene, but also take care of business, food shopping, book store or theater close by?
That’s how I choose a location these days. Oh I add in a lot of walks when moving around these places. Most New Yorkers would hop on a train but if it’s 20-30 blocks I’ll walk it. That does wonders for the mind. (And body too!)
This is one of the things I love about New York and I really hate about where I live. I need to know I can walk 30 blocks to my destination, even if I can't always do it. Too many hills or other geographic interruptions ruins the experience for me. And god, how I miss public transport for the inspiration that always came with long rides. I still get it when I hit the city, but it's not as commonplace in the countryside of Australia as I wish it was.
I adore urban street art. I love discovering a pocket of a city that's been co-opted by graffiti artists and discovering new gems around every concrete corner. There's something about the freedom of it that really resonates with me and I always feel incredibly energised and inspired after I've immersed myself in the riot of gritty, rebellious creativity.
Urban exploring is something I enjoy both as a form of relaxation/joy and as a way to find inspiration. So much to discover in a great city, even one you think you know.
Slab City. Last free city on earth. Wild West southeast California desert wasteland. I’d post a pic if I could. :)
I love this choice!
In my bed
And then I’ll take a nap
There's a disused railway line near my house that has been turned into a lineal park of sorts. The graffiti along the walls there changes every week, as people descend on the area in the small hours of the morning. Lined along the walls are some park tables and workout equipment. I would post a photo here, but can't add photos to Substack comments.
I like coming here on my bike, relaxing with a Penafiel limon & sal sparkling water, and my notebook and pen. Scrawling down ideas, notes, thoughts that usually just stay in these notebooks, although I plan to move them to my computer and actually realize these concepts.
Otherwise, I usually put a movie on my computer and sit at my desk and brainstorm while the movie plays. Sometimes the movie itself inspires ideas, othertimes it just serves to distract me so that I can think, which seems counterintuitive (and maybe a bit disrespectful to the people who made the movie, but these media I've usually seen before), but I find that it helps me get out of myself onto the page.
You continue to sell me on Mexico City. Why aren't you sharing photos of these are part of my "In Search of Beautiful Things (and Inspiration" series?!
There are two book stores here in nelson where I can go and hide,read and think . Also a record store in town is great to browse and contemplate my next purchase. Great post! Thanks
Both record shops and bookshops provide a lot of inspiration to me, too. I find I come home with a stack of books or records...and a lot of ideas.