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I really related to your experience of action and alternative forms shaking up yr writing in good ways. I like to walk to plot and detail in my mind - flaneur-styles in the city, or in the country lanes around my house. Just nosing about. I got inspired by the loop of sandy track around Charles Darwin’s house. About 1km circle. Maybe less, that he used to perambulate to stimulate and stack ideas. If i ever have creative meetings I like to invite people to walk with me, there’s something super collaborative about shoulder to shoulder walking (or bus ride if theyre not so mobile) that gets my ideas flowing. As opposed to sitting across a desk from

Someone face to face. I dont know why. I run, too, and strangely i find that is useless for thinking or creativity. But good for turning off my brain.

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Jun 28, 2022Liked by Alison Acheson

I love this thought - "Dance forced me to move and to be, with no thought about anything else, and to push ahead. There is no such thing as “dancer’s block”—“block” is not allowed to exist. Imagine if this was true of writing?" I do think writing as a 'dancer performing' happens naturally for me sometimes more than others - when I catch the flow....or the string of the kite that is pulled in and I don't have the continuous "need to stop" or "need to change" thoughts. This happens more randomly but I'd like to be able to learn to be more purposeful and set time aside to just "perform the dance" and write uninterrupted or unblocked.

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Jun 29, 2022Liked by Alison Acheson

So true. And well said. Wandering through art exhibits, and especially through natural settings. No words, but as much (or more) inspiration than reading a good book.

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