Today’s entry concerns the idea of inspiration. How does one become inspired to write, or what inspires a writer? I have heard of different methods and have even witnesses a few. I do believe, as far as prompting goes, that nothing inspires a writer to motivation quite like a deadline! What I am concerning myself with today, however, is the origin of the ideas themselves. It has been my experience that the ideas simply come to me when I least expect them.
A writer’s mind is ever active, always pulsing and grinding through the daily routine. A tall tree, the smell of paint or a subtle comment can cause the mind to reel and turn in aggressive new ways for the writer. I have had concepts come to me when I was painting, or merely walking. Some of my best ideas appear when I take a stroll and allow my mind to wander, examining the items around me. It is also how I can solve a dilemma in my story.
I find that old structures often give a degree of inspiration to me. I have one pending project which originated in an old hotel in South Florida . The idea of historicity always moves me; the fact that so many people, from many different time periods, have passed through a certain location always inspires me. Think of the power of their impact on the area they inhabit. Such starters as this always help to get me motivated to write. As a writer of horror, I also find cemeteries and dark forests mentally illuminating. Recently, I have turned to the swamps surrounding the area for a source of inspiration. The majority of my short stories are more location (scene) based than character based, so you may have noticed I placed a lot of emphasis on scene inspiration. Locations are wonderful, but the human experience which occurs in those scenes can be even more powerful.
Stories of personal tragedy (or triumph) can also lead to a great story idea. It is not plagiarism to read one’s story and draw notions from it (do not simply lift their story onto your pages; that is plagiarism.) If you read about a person who lost a loved one in a drowning accident, or was finally able to marry their soldier lover, then take the underlying concept and translate it. All humanity suffers and rejoices, so take the lessons and use them for your work. On this note, I admit that some of my best ideas have come from the reading of ghost stories; they give ample detail of the area, have an element of historicity to them, and are already imbued with the scary element I so desire. These are the places and things which often inspire me; the inspiration, however can come when one least expects it.
When an idea happens to arrive in the vaults of your mind, it is best to record it as soon as possible. I keep a book with all my story ideas recorded therein. When I write out my thoughts, I usually write all that has come to mind, neglecting nothing. Remember, you just might not be able to remember those “I will remember this” thoughts, so inscribe them for longevity. The book I keep is replete with scribbled pages and tacked on sheets of paper. I also include any information, such as flyers or maps of a particular area, if such is available. I then date the page so I can laugh when I finally get to the idea two years later! I treat all stories the same: novel and novella ideas are no different than short story ideas. They all come to mind in the same manner and they equally belong to you and to the characters.
I will touch upon this latter subject again, but it is important to remember that the story idea, once received, belongs to both you and your character. After all, it is their story you are telling, and they must be allowed to make any changes necessary to finish the project. I understand this is a bizarre subject, but as I stated above, I will touch upon this again. I have seen with my own writings, (see Lost in the Fog, on sale at bn.com) where I had a particular ending prepared and the character took it and completely changed it, thus shifting, and certainly changing the content of the whole story. It was amazing, to say the least.
I have only touched upon this subject in the mildest of forms. Every writer has their own avenues of inspiration and their own pools of ideas. I have shared with you some of my own. As stated above, the majority of my ideas simply come when my mind happens to be overworking a situation. I have had them appear when at work and at play, but almost always when I am preoccupied. It seems to work for me, and many of my greatest works (some of which you can find at bn.com, the link is located to the right) have come from a brisk walk or a solitary moment when employed in some task.
As always, good luck writing and be inspired!
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