Where do you draw story inspiration?

[Whanmore]

there's a line?

 

[EmilyMiller]

Where do you draw story inspiration?​

It’s weird. I sometimes feel the well is dry. I have no ideas except things I have in my draft folder, that are probably there for a reason. I also might have a general concept for a story, but no real plan for what happens and how to tell the story. I think these stew in my subconscious and then suddenly I’m doing something totally different, at the grocery store or work or just driving, and some idea pops into my head. I often get my phone out and scribble the bones before I forget.

Or now - I’m in that weird thing where I have a story I want to tell, with characters I like, a good start (12k words made) and the final three quarters plotted chapter by chapter with detailed bullet points. But - having figured out that I need to write another 20 - 30k words to finish - I get a bit daunted. It’s not like I’m paralyzed, I just feel “this is going to be a lot of work”. Maybe laziness kicks in.

While in this Twilight Zone, I get a childhood memory of days on the Jersey Shore and then a related adolescent memory of a summer job, and I’m suddenly writing a Summer Lovin’ tale. Which I think will give me time for my longer work to gestate in my subconscious.

So, to eventually answer the question, most inspiration seems to bubble up from my subconscious. I’m not always clear about the genesis of such ideas, though sometimes it’s kinda obvious.

Em

PS This is my process for mostly made-up works, for those based on actual life events it’s a lot easier.

 

[Djmac1031]

I think I may have drawn inspiration for a new story based on this awkwardly titled children's book I stumbled across:

https://imgur.com/a/fmEle6C

 

[Djmac1031]

It’s weird. I sometimes feel the well is dry. I have no ideas except things I have in my draft folder, that are probably there for a reason. I also might have a general concept for a story, but no real plan for what happens and how to tell the story. I think these stew in my subconscious and then suddenly I’m doing something totally different, at the grocery store or work or just driving, and some idea pops into my head. I often get my phone out and scribble the bones before I forget.

Or now - I’m in that weird thing where I have a story I want to tell, with characters I like, a good start (12k words made) and the final three quarters plotted chapter by chapter with detailed bullet points. But - having figured out that I need to write another 20 - 30k words to finish - I get a bit daunted. It’s not like I’m paralyzed, I just feel “this is going to be a lot of work”. Maybe laziness kicks in.

While in this Twilight Zone, I get a childhood memory of days on the Jersey Shore and then a related adolescent memory of a summer job, and I’m suddenly writing a Summer Lovin’ tale. Which I think will give me time for my longer work to gestate in my subconscious.

So, to eventually answer the question, most inspiration seems to bubble up from my subconscious. I’m not always clear about the genesis of such ideas, though sometimes it’s kinda obvious.

Em

PS This is my process for mostly made-up works, for those based on actual life events it’s a lot easier.

I'm kinda in the All Of The Above phase at the moment.

The folder filled with unfinished ideas.

The story that started well but I'm realizing needs a lot more to it than I thought.

The simple fantasy story, again partly written but now stalled.

The part paralyzed, part "this is gonna take some work and I'm lazy," and part "no idea what's next so gotta sit on it."

I'll work something out eventually, I'm sure. At some point one of them will grab hold and I'll find inspiration to finish.

 

[SeraphNocturne]

I think I may have drawn inspiration for a new story based on this awkwardly titled children's book I stumbled across:

https://imgur.com/a/fmEle6C

I saw that on your Awkwardly Titled thread, heheheh! I pull inspiration from photos I stumble across on Pinterest or Deviantart, from time to time.

 

[Djmac1031]

I saw that on your Awkwardly Titled thread, heheheh! I pull inspiration from photos I stumble across on Pinterest or Deviantart, from time to time.

I shared that picture here first but decided it needed it's own thread

 

[EmilyMiller]

I'm kinda in the All Of The Above phase at the moment.

The folder filled with unfinished ideas.

The story that started well but I'm realizing needs a lot more to it than I thought.

The simple fantasy story, again partly written but now stalled.

The part paralyzed, part "this is gonna take some work and I'm lazy," and part "no idea what's next so gotta sit on it."

I'll work something out eventually, I'm sure. At some point one of them will grab hold and I'll find inspiration to finish.

We just have to co-write another stroke story .

Em

 

[Djmac1031]

We just have to co-write another stroke story .

Em

That could be... inspiring.

 

[lovecraft68]

There's an old sex game called who goes there. Everyone was slipped a room number at a hotel and the women went to their first, guys later and there was no light allowed in the room up to the switched being taped and bulbs removed from the lamps. Wild sex is had and no one knows for sure who their partner was. I find this an exciting concept and I've given this a taboo twist in two stories here and used it in a couple of e-books.