The time away from your writing is just as important as the time you spend on your writing.

I have mentioned in earlier articles thatdoing something different can stimulate some inspiration and get the crative juices flowing. Personally, one of the best ways to do that is to go for a good old fashioned, head clearing walk.

I have just come back from my daily walk and I feel inspired to write. This is the same pattern I am seeing everyday. I go for a walk and afterwards I do some writing. Simple.

There's something about getting out of the house and getting out in the world that opens up something within. You become a much more mindful, observant and receptive being and with the knowledge that what you are doing is actually good for you there is also a sense of pride in oneself that shines through too.

Walking is a great meditative exercise.The very act of putting one foot in front of the other (and then the other and then the other....) for an indefinite period of time is a very simple way of getting focussed on something.

Some people walk for fitness, some walk to relieve stress, to experience new scenery. If I am walking with a friend we have the best conversations, it must be all the blood rushing through my body.

I walk for all of those reasons mentioned above. I know that if I had less stress in my life and had a better fitness level than I do now my songwriting would be much better, and besides, what better way to start the day?

Try this today. Finish up what you are doing and give yourself thirty minutes of your time and get outside and go for a walk. If there is a park nearby then go there. If there isn't a park then just go for a walk around your neighbourhood.

When you are walking concentrate on nothing else but what you see around you and practise 'really seeing and hearing' everything.

Embrace the scenery whether it is good and bad and make sure that you dont dawdle but be brisk about it. Work up a bit of a sweat, get the heart pumping and your lungs working (dont get all inspired and go jogging, this is a walking exercise).

When you get back inside have a shower (if you feel like you need one) and get your journal or a writing pad out and write three pages on everything that you noticed, felt and experienced on your thirty minute walk. You are not going to remember everything but that is not the point (its not a memory test).

I'm sure that if you were practising your observation, mindfulness and active listening skills on your walk you would have one or two things that stick out. Write about that.

I wonder how many songs will come out of this exercise? You wont know unless you give it a try.

Until next time, happy writing,

Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician

Keywords: song writing, songwriting, songwriter, rss feed, songwriting tip, songwriting help, songwriting technique, songwriting resource, songwriting basics, songwriting blog, songwriting idea, free songwriting tip, corey stewart