How does it hit you?

[English Lady]

Inspiration that is?

Generally my inspiration comes from various sources, from an episode of Buffy, to my fantasies about the young boy at the bakery to real life encounters with the husband and very, very rarely from my dreams.

Last night I had the idea and introduction for a fantasy novel dropped before my sleeping eyeballs, and when I woke I had to write it all down. It really was as if my muses dropped into my dreams and gave me a novel full of ideas in one go!

So, how do you get inspired and/or what inspires you to write?

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Inspiration that is?

Generally my inspiration comes from various sources, from an episode of Buffy, to my fantasies about the young boy at the bakery to real life encounters with the husband and very, very rarely from my dreams.

Last night I had the idea and introduction for a fantasy novel dropped before my sleeping eyeballs, and when I woke I had to write it all down. It really was as if my muses dropped into my dreams and gave me a novel full of ideas in one go!

So, how do you get inspired and/or what inspires you to write?

I have a rather lacivisous dreamlife and those occasionaaly make it to a story. More often If ind inspiration from a book I've read, or an article. Most of my period ides come from some small bit of trivia that catches my interest on history channel shows. Rarely, they are based on real life events that made an impression on me.

Inspiration for me comes at strange times, with little or no rhyme of reson I can decipher.

 

[Penelope Street]

Usually I see or hear something, a situation involving some conflict or that could involve some conflict. Sometimes it's when I'm just chatting with a friend and one of us says something, sometimes it's a television show, sometimes it's a dream, sometimes I just see a stranger and can tell they are sad and begin to wonder why. I keep little pads and pens on my bedstand, in my purse, in both cars, so I can jot any idea down.

 

[rgraham666]

I'm always swirling ideas around in my head, like some alchemist's brew.

Every so often a string of thoughts crystallizes and the outline of a story emerges.

Then come the hard part, filling it in enough to be workable as a story.

But sometimes a thought just hits me so. With the same result.

I don't ask questions anymore, just run with it.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

I'm always swirling ideas around in my head, like some alchemist's brew.

Every so often a string of thoughts crystallizes and the outline of a story emerges.

Then come the hard part, filling it in enough to be workable as a story.

But sometimes a thought just hits me so. With the same result.

I don't ask questions anymore, just run with it.

Usually I see or hear something, a situation involving some conflict or that could involve some conflict. Sometimes it's when I'm just chatting with a friend and one of us says something, sometimes it's a television show, sometimes it's a dream, sometimes I just see a stranger and can tell they are sad and begin to wonder why. I keep little pads and pens on my bedstand, in my purse, in both cars, so I can jot any idea down.

I don't think I can say it better than these two, so I just quoted. It comes from wherever, I usually don't know exactly where that is, and I don't think it's the point anyway. Usually, it's just an image that appears in my head, doesn't do much but sit there, and the parts of my brain that handle these things, that trained part of my brain that takes the ideas and makes them into stories, takes them and does it's thing. i've reached the point where I don't ask questions any more. I've learned I don't need the answers, overall.

Sometimes I do happen to know, however. For instance, the one I was meaning to write for the Halloween contest, the one that was too long and therefore couldn't be finished in time, came from something that occurred years ago. I was in this bar I used to hang out in, and these two girls were there, looking like twins. I noted them because the only difference between them seemed to be that one wore a turtleneck. That one was the one I was attracted to. I don't know why i would be attracted to her and not the other, but somehow. I didn't go over (cuz I figured I had no chance anyway--basic fear-motivated fuck-up) and they left, but I remembered them, and the turtleneck stayed in my head. Two years later, they're in my story; their names are Heather and Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn being the main character. They turtleneck is to cover a scar on her neck and/or chest and/or arm. Don't know why, but...

Hopefully the story comes out good.

I have notepads in the car, but they're not to write down ideas. If it's a good one, my mind'll store it. If not, it won't. I've never had to dig hurriedly through my purse for the pen. It's never been necessary.

Oh, and I don't carry a purse.

Honestly.

I've never carried a purse...




























Not even on weekends, when I'm out in my miniskirt.



Q_C

 

[Penelope Street]

Oh, and I don't carry a purse. Honestly.
I've never carried a purse...

You should. Then someone else would at least get some good story ideas when they saw you.

 

[Stella_Omega]

.....Not even on weekends, when I'm out in my miniskirt.



Q_C

It has to be asked...
Where do you put your wallet, your keys and your cellphone?

 

[Quiet_Cool]

It has to be asked...
Where do you put your wallet, your keys and your cellphone?

Gotta pad the bra with something...



Duh!

Q_C

 

[Guest]

 

[Stella_Omega]

*cough* back to the topic...
There's almost nothing to say on the topic, is there! It seems, for those of us on this forum, who consider themselves authors, inspiration simply sleets in, non-stop.
BUt there's a difference between the first glimmer of an idea, and the next, that makes it into a conflict, a story, something that holds your attention- my attention as the writer, and keeps me at it, forcing my thoughts onto the paper. (well screen these days)

The Depp/Brando story, partly came from my promise (yet unkept) to write a version of "Daedalus and Icarus"
I know, pretty much, how that story will go, but the key phrase, or visual, or something- hasn't showed up yet.
Plus, it will be a tragedy, and that will be a first for me.
So, I procrastinated, by writing this little thing down- and it turned into a month of research, and bugging people for details and learning more about the Method than I ever thought I'd want to know. All for the sake of less then 4,000 words...

 

[Liar]

It doesn't. I have to dig it out.

Inspiration comes whenever I an determined enough to actually sit my ass down and focus om creating. Music, design, stories, poetry, whatever. Inspiration is a big, nasty steamroller, and I have to push it into motion.

 

[SeaCat]

As someone else said, neat thread.

Some of my ideas come from real life, things I have seen or heard. Some come from my own highly fertile and warped fantasy life. Once in a while one comes down the pike where I am inspired by someone I know. These are usually the hardest ones to write for me.

Cat

 

[Guest]

sometimes I dream the stories...
sometimes I write what a fan is asking for
sometimes a particular category catches my fancy for a bit
sometimes its r/l (although... I have unfortunately learned the hard way NOT to do this because it is forever there as a reminder)
sometimes it just comes while I am playing sudoku

 

[yui]

It all happens inside my head. Sometimes it's a bit of poetry, a song lyric, or an overheard conversation. Sometimes it's a vision.

Usually, it's just the movie inside my head.

 

[elsol]

I take a wrong turn at Alburquerque and hit a story.

Sincerely,
ElSol

 

[yui]

I take a wrong turn at Alburquerque and hit a story.

Sincerely,
ElSol

You took a right turn.

 

[English Lady]

Thanks for all the replies everyone -I had a sneaking suspision there would be a wide variety of answers, just as there is a wide variety of authors!

I wonder how much inspiration actually then goes on to be a story? I would say around 60-70% of my ideas make it eventually, but alot of the ideas hang about as written little synopsis things for a week, a month, a year or more before i get down to writing then, so probably about 40% of inspiration is acted on immediately.

How much of your inspiration hits the pae and makes a poem/story?

 

[elsol]

Thanks for all the replies everyone -I had a sneaking suspision there would be a wide variety of answers, just as there is a wide variety of authors!

I wonder how much inspiration actually then goes on to be a story? I would say around 60-70% of my ideas make it eventually, but alot of the ideas hang about as written little synopsis things for a week, a month, a year or more before i get down to writing then, so probably about 40% of inspiration is acted on immediately.

How much of your inspiration hits the pae and makes a poem/story?

.01 percent

[Edited to add] Mostly because I tend to think in terms of whole stories and some of them are HUGE!

Sincerely,
elsol

 

[Kassiana]

I leave a cookie on a plate on my porch every night, and every morning the cookie is gone and a folded piece of paper with an idea on it is on the plate.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Thanks for all the replies everyone -I had a sneaking suspision there would be a wide variety of answers, just as there is a wide variety of authors!

I wonder how much inspiration actually then goes on to be a story? I would say around 60-70% of my ideas make it eventually, but alot of the ideas hang about as written little synopsis things for a week, a month, a year or more before i get down to writing then, so probably about 40% of inspiration is acted on immediately.

How much of your inspiration hits the pae and makes a poem/story?

Very little. Less than 10 % I would imagine, but that might be a little lower. If I wrote more often instead of blowing time thinking, I might be able to give you a higher number, but as things stand, very little of the ideas and images and whatnot make it to paper as a story.

Q_C

 

[yui]

How much of your inspiration hits the pae and makes a poem/story?

Less than 1%. About like the votes per view ratio here on Lit.

I do try to write ideas down in my notebook so I can come back to them at some point, so they don't just disappear into the mystic.

 

[McKenna]

My inspirtation comes primarily from real life experiences. And what I mean by that is that usually something I've done or seen or experienced in real life gets "morphed" into a story.

My poetry, on the other hand, is more non-fictional than fictional, though it's also inspired by real life experiences.

Very little of the "inspiration" running through my head gets written down, but I've got quite a few "mental" stories I keep track of. I review them at night before falling asleep. It's like telling myself a bedtime story.

 

[English Lady]

QC -NaNo might change all that love


thanks for all the answers, it's very interesting to see all the different answers and how they seem to overlap a fair bit in most cases

 

[Unsung Muse]

It doesn't. I have to dig it out. Inspiration comes whenever I an determined enough to actually sit my ass down...

I think I'm more like Liar. I have to give myself assignments... I wish it was a bit more 'magical'. It sounds so romantic -- the way some of you describe your inspiration coming to you -- I'm envious!



Oooooah! I just lost my forum virginity!!!