People Watching for Inspiration

People watching is a great way to get inspiration for your writing. Whether you’re looking for inspiration for a scene, some conflict, or even a whole new idea, observing real-life people in a public place can be a great way to get ideas for your work.

One of the easiest and most crucial things you can observe while people watching is body language. One of the hardest things to do as a writer is describe natural body movements that we make automatically. I mean, who really thinks about the way they stand or their posture enough that they can accurately describe it for a reader?

Watch, notice, take notes if you’re not worried about being that person in a coffee shop watching people and writing in a notebook. Using these notes you’ll be able to craft natural, flowing descriptions of movement and character body language that can be a challenge for many writers.

Another important thing you could observe is natural speech patterns. A lot of writers fall into the pitfall of writing scripted, stilted dialogue. By listening to the way others speak in a real and natural setting, you can get a better sense of how your dialogue should sound like and flow.

You can also listen to (eavesdrop on) other people’s conversations in hopes of hearing something interesting that might spark inspiration for you. People have some odd and interesting conversations when they think no one else is listening, you might just find a diamond in the rough of the hum of chatter.