I know many authors would prefer to cuddle up with their laptop in a cozy cabin next to a slow burning fire, maybe sit outside and breathe in the smell of fresh pine trees, listening to the relaxing sounds of nature while it inspires them to write. If they can’t get away, maybe they’ll sit down in a quiet office somewhere with soft music to help them focus.
Me? I enjoy food for inspiration.
If you’ve read my story, How to Hunt a Menacing Magical Shadow, you may have noticed my main character, Adrian, really loves his cupcakes. There are various instances throughout the story where you can find Adrian enjoying either a drink or a delicious meal, and there’s a special reason for that. A good meal or a fine drink gives me inspiration.
How does food provide me with inspiration?
When I was writing book 1 of the Black Sheep series, I have to admit I baked quite a few cupcakes. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that red velvet also happens to be my favorite as well! Food and drinks provide me inspiration because enjoying them allows me to experience exactly what my characters might be going through. What am I tasting? Does the smell trigger a memory? How is it making me feel?
Maybe it’s the distinctive floral notes of Adrian’s gin hitting my nose. The burn as it slips down my throat, the bubbles of the tonic fizzing in my mouth. Nursing my single drink, it makes me feel a little sad that I’m sitting at my desk alone when I could be out at a bar with some friends. But I also feel relaxed, the chemicals in the alcohol releasing endorphins in my body. It’s giving me a little liquid courage to push forward. I want to go back for more.
In another scene, Lizzy is experiencing hot chocolate for the first time. She cups the warm mug between her hands, ogling the mountain of fluffy whipped cream on top. I had done the same when writing that scene, sitting at my dining room table letting the steam hit my face. It makes me smile, bringing me back to my childhood days when my mom would heat up some milk and dump that packet of powdered chocolate sugar mix into the mug, adding an overabundance of marshmallows into it at the end.
Use all the senses when writing.
I find many authors tend to focus on sight when writing, but the other senses are just as important. When we experience something, we use all our senses. How many times have you walked past a restaurant and all of a sudden you find yourself craving garlic bread? What about during the holidays when you visit family? Do you enjoy the smell of pumpkin pie baking in the oven and filling the kitchen, or the sound of cheerful music drifting into the living room? I don’t know about you, but those smells and sounds definitely put me in a positive mood.
Sometimes you don’t need paragraphs of information explaining every little detail about something, when other times it’s imperative to the story. The emotion you evoke upon the reader will depend on what you’re trying to accomplish with your writing.
I like to think of writing like a fine wine. Of course, you can see the beautiful maroon color of the liquid. But what else do you experience? You hear the sound of a heavy wine as it’s poured into the glass. You smell the fruity aroma of the grapes as you pick it up in your hands and gently swirl it around right under your nose. When you take a sip, you now taste the tartness of the room temperature liquid, the smooth substance coating your tongue and leaving your mouth a little dry. It feels delicate gliding down your throat. Are you salivating, yearning for a glass of wine right now?
Maybe not. Perhaps you’re allergic to grapes, and now your throat is swelling up and you can’t breathe. Everyone’s experience is a little different, and that’s okay. That’s what makes us all unique writers!
Are you struggling to find some inspiration? Try searching the web for a recipe. If your story takes place during a certain time period, find something your character may have eaten for a typical dinner. I just hope your characters aren’t abandoned in the woods eating mutant rats or vampires who enjoy a real Bloody Mary with their breakfast.
