Thinking prompt #31: HOW FAMILIAR IS THE FAMILIAR?

Hi Everyone,

As writers you’ve probably heard the advice: defamiliarize the familiar. But what does that mean exactly? How can we not take for granted what, or whom, we see everyday? Do our rituals—even our writing ones—blind us to nuance, to the slightest variations of texture, taste, other perceptions?

How do we stay fresh—on, and off, the page? Here’s an exercise I’ve found helpful:

HOLD YOUR GAZE. Set your timer for 10-15 minutes then look out a window at a familiar view. Then keep on looking, simply looking. What are you seeing that you haven’t noticed before? Revel in the particularities. The quality of the light. Other unexpected details. How is giving yourself this time permitting you to see more, to see better?

Enjoy!

Abrazos,

Cristina