How to Draw Inspiration From an African Safari to Create a Hollywood Blockbuster

This may sound a little farfetched, I know, but if you were to let your imagination run wild while watching animals during an exotic vacation, who knows, you may came up with an outline for a blockbuster film or book. Well, are you a writer looking for the perfect setting around which to weave a compelling plot? So what are you going to do about it? This article will help ignite that fire within you to overcome writers block or whatever it is that’s holding you back, to use the enchanting African tapestry of wildlife, flora and fauna to come up with a plot befitting a Hollywood blockbuster.

There are no guarantees, but if you put your mind to it, who knows what you can come up with. The Lion King, inspired by the Serengeti in Tanzania, is one example of how one can draw inspiration from an African wilderness setting. Bestselling author Wilber Smith writes his novels in an African setting. He has sold millions of books. So let’s take a look at how to create a compelling plot around a setting that is, presumably, unfamiliar territory to you. I’d say don’t think too hard. If you can afford it, travel to an African destination and take a safari excursion. Soak in everything you see around you and let your imagination run wild.

Many years ago, when I’d completed my first creative writing course, I embarked on penning my very first novel with an intricate plot woven around the Seychelles islands. I wasn’t a great writer back then, so my manuscript has, over the years, undergone several revisions. To come up with a plot, the fastest way is to imagine yourself in the plot by drawing on your surroundings for backdrop, and begin developing a story around that. It flows more naturally when you work from yourself outward, even when you write in the third person. Let’s say you travel to Tanzania to find that inspiration, the key thing is to soak up anything and everything you see on the trip. From the minute you step off the plane, begin a search for likely characters and settings for your story. Take down the names of streets you find interesting; make a note of how you would describe these locations in your literary work; talk to people, try to find out something about their personal lives. It may trigger something.

Tanzanians, especially, are very friendly people. It would be very easy to start up a conversation with anyone. If you need a translator, get one! Remember, you are looking for a story with an interesting backdrop; a compelling plot; and most importantly, characters that will breathe life into your story. A leaf dropping off a tree; a lion sprawled lazily over a tree trunk; an exotic bird tweeting from a nearby nest, can all help trigger an idea for your book and bring sizzling ingredients to your plot…but only when you listen and allow your creative flow to run its full course.

About the Author: Anthony J. Namata is a creative travel writer who blogs at Blockbuster-Articles.com, and writes exclusively for tour operators on safari destination Tanzania.