A to Z Blogging Challenge: S is for…Society6

Only seven more letters to go in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (am I allowed to say “Phew!” at this point?) and today’s letter is ‘S’. S for Society6, as a matter of fact.

Society6 is a veritable gold mine of inspiration for the flagging freelance writer, I find. The site is actually an online marketplace, selling beautiful artwork by “hundreds of thousands of artists” (amazing if true!) from around the world.

Because the material on Society6 is produced by so many different artists, there are gorgeous pieces to suit everyone’s taste: everything from sassy cartoon illustrations, through fan art, all the way to the much-loved inspiration picture quotes.

When I’m really stuck for inspiration, I enjoy a good rummage through the artwork at Society6 – I’ve even been known to produce something as a result!

Here are a few lovely snippets of art that caught my eye this morning – rest assured, though, there are plenty more pieces to choose from!

Artwork featured:

Secret Streets by David Fleck

Undercity Classic Rail Poster by Josh Atack

Foggy Forest Creek by Kevin Russ

Hotel by Around & Around

Hold Your Breath by Marc Allante

Have you found inspiration on Society6? Do you have a favourite piece of art to share? Speak up in the comments!

Visual creative writing prompts # 15 – Lost at sea

For this visual creative writing prompt, I’ve decided to share some amazing, beautiful, and wonderfully simple photographs by Andrea Dentoni. Each picture is entitled Blue, but each is a different study of jagged black rocks in a dark, misty seascape. What I love about these images is that they’re not only visually stunning, but they’re a lesson in writing. Each photograph contains the same components – sea, sky, rocks. That’s it. They’re all the same colour – blue and black. So you’d think that they might be the same, but you’d be wrong – they’re instantly recognisable as unique works.

I’ve been struggling recently to know what to say, wondering if all my writing is a bit repetitive, and fretting over not having enough ideas. When I have had ideas, I’ve wondered how to shape them into something worth reading; more often than not, I’ve failed. What I can see from Andrea’s images, though, is that there are still so many things to try, even if you feel like you’re working with the same materials over and over for a while until something new pops up.

What do these images make you think of? Do you have a favourite, even though they’re so similar in many ways? Do they feel peaceful or lonely, or something else entirely?

I’d love to read your thoughts and efforts – and I’d like to thank the lovely Andrea Dentoni for giving me permission to share his beautiful work here.

Visual creative writing prompts #13 – In the beginning

It’s been a while since I shared a photo writing prompt on here but I’ve had permission from the lovely Anya Kubilus to share her photograph, The Beginning. I spotted the picture (as I often do) on Flickr and felt inspired to share it here for you writerly types!

While the last visual writing prompt on here did get some much-deserved love, one commenter mentioned that the images were so crisp and clean that she was struggling for inspiration from them. It’s horses for courses, of course, but it’s always good to change things up, so I’ve chosen a photo for that post that is wonderfully dream-like; full of soft colours, gentle textures and tiny sparks of colour.

What I loved about Anya’s brilliantly titled “The Beginning” was just the depth of feeling that I got from the image. The rich colours, the half-light, the curls of smoke, the sudden excitement of the sparks, and the melancholy – or simply neutrality (you decide – it’s a writing prompt, after all!) on her face. The picture does feel like a beginning – the beginning of a long night, perhaps, or the beginning of autumn, with the twilight, the trees and the fragrant wood-smoke. Maybe it’s the sparks that are the beginning of something – as small sparks often are. In any case, I really hope you love this photo as much as I do – I’d love to hear your thoughts on it and I’d like to thank Anya once more for being so kind as to let me share her work here.

If you’re looking for more inspiration, why not have a look at the newly re-vamped list of photographers who’ve been featured on here? They’re a lovely lot :)

[ Photo copyright: Anya Kubilus. Please do not reproduce without specific permission from the photographer]

Visual creative writing prompts #11 – Twilight in Moscow

This is the 100th post here on Circles under Streetlights – I really hope you’ve enjoyed following the blog so far! CUS x

It’s been a wee while since I posted any visual creative writing prompts, simply because it’s been hard to find photos I really want to share and then secure permission to post them. Happily, however, I’ve had permission from Andrey Permitin (aka Eltsdi on Flickr) to feature some of his work!

The photos that I’ve chosen to share are some of Andrey’s shots of Moscow - his home town. The unnatural colours – whether vivid or muted – lend the strong architecture of the city a new face. In some of the photos, the faded beauty evokes a ghost city years after a disaster, while others, with their clean lines and beautiful colours, would be the perfect inspiration for some speculative fiction set far in a hopeful future. True to my preferences, most of the photos seem to have been taken at that wonderful time when afternoon turns to evening, and there are plenty of streetlights to punctuate the darkness :)

There were so many pictures to choose from in Andrey’s photostream – I strongly encourage you to stop by and take a look if you’re in need of any inspiration for your latest writing. I hope you enjoy the few pictures I’ve featured here, all with kind permission from Andrey Permitin.

As always, please do let me know if any of the photos inspire you to write something – I’d love to read it!

In the process…

At the moment, I’ve got about five unfinished short stories on the go – all really different from one another. It’s frustrating to have so much unfinished but, at the same time, it means that I can find something to write about no matter what mood I’m in. Heavens, small mercies etc.!

One of the longer short stories is based on a couple of photos I’ve got in my visual prompts folder – both of which have been featured on here before. I thought it might be fun to share those with you and see what you can come up with using the  two photos together. I won’t tell you what my story’s about because I’m curious as to how you’ll interpret the images!

If you do write something, let me know in the comments! In fact, consider it a little competition – I’ll repost my favourites here, if I get a few entries, with some comments :)

Closing date for entries is Sunday, 29th July – have fun, everyone!

Visual writing prompts # 9 – focusing on the inspirational

I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in the fact that I base much of what I write on snippets: a sound, a sudden flash from a car window, even a smell that brings back memories.

I spotted Flickr user Una Cierta Mirada, aka photographer Luis González, and I was really taken by how simple and yet how full of potential his photographs are. My favourites are those that centre around a single point of focus – sometimes a strong shape, sometimes a splash of colour – simply because they remind me of that much longed-for moment of inspiration that writers need to produce something worthwhile. Luis manages to edit out all of the unnecessary in these images, leaving only the important points in focus – something we all need to learn to do, particularly when we’re faced with a page full of scribbles.

The pictures themselves are beautiful little snippets of nature and landscape, shot in colours that lift them out of the ordinary and add a certain drama. The shapes are strong and often caught by the wind, which adds another layer of atmosphere, and the shots I’ve chosen all seem to be taken at dusk, which is a wonderful time – both for photography and for writing. I think they could be sad, inspiring or soothing, depending on how you look at them, but the composition and colours are so stunning, they just needed to be shared.

All photographs featured here with the kind permission of Luis González, so please take a moment to enjoy his other work!

Visual Writing Prompts #8 – When white isn’t white at all

I spotted Wild Prairie Man, aka photographer James R. Page, on Flickr and wanted to share some of his beautiful shots with you to prove a very simple point: white isn’t white at all.

James captures the snowy landscapes in a way that adds a depth and colour to something that, to anyone with limited imagination, would just be a blank white canvas. The images aren’t even limited to a single palette: there are deep blues, touches of rich pink, pearly creams, burnt ochres and rich dove greys.

Not only do I like the images as visual creative writing prompts, I like them as a starting point for thinking about writing itself. As most writers know, being faced with a blank white page can be one of the most terrifying experiences. You could fill that page with literally anything, and the weight of the task ahead sometimes feels overwhelming.

And yet, look at what Wild Prairie Man has done with a blank white slate. All of the beautiful colours and textures in those images were there, waiting to be captured and enjoyed. Each of the pictures is filled with possibilities, even though none of them tells a whole story.

Even if you’ve only got a little something to say, and even if you don’t think you have anything to say right now, remember that white isn’t just white. A blank page isn’t blank; it’s filled with things that you just haven’t written down yet.

If you’ve been inspired by any of James’s beautiful photography, or any of my other visual creative writing prompts, why not send me what you’ve written and I’ll share it on the blog?

Visual writing prompt #7 – Eastern promises

I’ve come across some amazing photos on the Flickr account of the mysterious BBE022021 and I’m loving them. Despite the fact that some of his pictures appeared in a certain UK newspaper (one that shall not be named for it is hideous and right-wing and hideous), BBE022021 has no information on his profile, save that he’s a he.

Is he some kind of photographic superhero? The Bruce Wayne of Flickr? Who knows, but some of his shots are lovely.

There’s something so intriguing about all of these photos – something hidden, whether by shadow or mist. As I’ve said before, I don’t like writing prompts as a rule because they give too much away – they’re too restrictive.

These pictures on the other hand…they could take you anywhere.

Visual writing prompts # 6 – rain over streetlights

This photo, by Flickr user Silent Shot, combines some of my favourite things – an urban feel, streetlights, bokeh, twilight and rain. I love it.

The way I see it, this picture is someone’s point of view. They’re in a car, travelling as the night draws in. Maybe they’re heading into a city, maybe they’re leaving one. Is it late on a heavy summer’s evening or the prematurely dark afternoon of a winter’s day?

Everything’s out of focus – but why? Is the rain somehow important to them right now? Or are they warm and soothed by the motion of the car, and using the soft lights as a lullabye? Perhaps they’re a passenger in the back of the car, and they’ve just woken up. Or maybe it’s something colder, sadder – tears are blinding them, or tiredness and pain are weighing them down – even focusing on the scene outside the window would take too much out of them right now.

I’ve been so uninspired over the last few days – a combination of a bad mood and too much work, I think – and this shot is the first thing to really grab my attention. So, thank-you, Flickr, and thank-you, Silent Shot!