In the olden days, back when gasoline was cheap, my pastime was driving. I would hop in the car early in the morning and drive. It didn’t matter where, as long as I was able to get back home that evening. I’ve done it almost everywhere I have lived, ever since I got my first car. I find it relaxing.
I haven’t done this for a couple of years now. Partially because gasoline is so expensive, and partly because my automobile is over 12 years old and I have driven the equivalent mileage as going to the moon (240,000 miles) and am on the way back.
Lately, I have not been coming up with any new ideas for my writing. I’ve been fleshing out the old ideas I got years ago. Yesterday, I took one of my go-nowhere trips. Just for the heck of it. Not only did I find it relaxing, I found two new ideas for stories! I think I may have found out why I was more creative way back when and not so much now.
Something happens when your mind is going through mindless, repetitive tasks. The subconscious mind has a chance to filter up where the conscious mind can gain access to it. I believe that is what happened to me yesterday.
– Brennan Harvey