Inspiration.

[Alana_]

I've been bemoaning the fact that lately I've been burned out on ideas for roleplays. I poke around on some other sites by means of finding a bit of inspiration to spark an idea for an OOC. It could be a picture, a line of text that triggers something. But it's usually a pictures. However it's been months and months since I've had anything that comes close to a story. I have no interest in treads that are instantly 'about fucking'. I like my stories to come first , the sex second. But while the intent is willing , the inspiration is dead in the water.

I know some of you like to base your stories on books, or movies. I also know some of you don't..that like me you like to have an entirely original idea to nurture from the first post to the last, depending on nothing only your own skills and those of your partners.

So.... where do you find your inspiration for your roleplays?

 

[Vail_Indigo]

I'm actually lousy at coming up with SRP ideas, usually.
My strength is in creating characters, more than stories.
What does work for me tends to be one of two things...
1. a hook comes to mind: sometimes its just a random image in my head, or a line of dialog, or a hint of a scene. And from there I end up building the idea, based on getting to that image/dialog/scene.
2. I keep throwing stuff down on paper until something works. This is a completely unfun way of doing it, but, sooner or later it comes together.

But overall, I suck at it.

 

[zydrate]

Everything!

News stories I hear, everyday situations... past stories I've read...

Work situations and most of the time if I'm setting up a story with someone, I put their interests in front of mine and then it usually works out.

It's nice to have that certain chemistry with others and sometimes, it just doesn't make it worth the writing when there is ZERO chemistry.

But yes, I usually jot down my ideas as soon as I have them or email them to myself

 

[Mephistophelily]

Songs.
I listen to a LOT of music.
I was debating for the longest time a thread based on Hotel California.

Sometimes just the feel of a song leads ideas.... The tone of the music, the images it conjures.
Most of my "darker" ideas? NiN.

I borrow from other things; comic books, movies, shows- sometimes give them a What If spin or my own twist. The current one with Vail is a twist of Batman and Joker (an easy recognize upon reading) as well as a borrowing idea from the concept of a comic Soru told me about.

 

[Noon_Shadow]

I'm actually lousy at coming up with SRP ideas, usually.
My strength is in creating characters, more than stories.
What does work for me tends to be one of two things...
1. a hook comes to mind: sometimes its just a random image in my head, or a line of dialog, or a hint of a scene. And from there I end up building the idea, based on getting to that image/dialog/scene.
2. I keep throwing stuff down on paper until something works. This is a completely unfun way of doing it, but, sooner or later it comes together.

But overall, I suck at it.

I'm quoting because it applies to me, and there's no point in my repeating the exact same thing verbatim.

 

[Annisthyrienne]

Often, believe it or not, it comes to me in dreams. Some of the things I've dreamed lately might be better if it did not find its way into role plays.

 

[Luna_Wolf72]

Inspiration comes from music usually. Something that puts a particular mood, thought, idea in my mind.

Case in point~the thread I am doing with poppinbubbles. It started because I wanted something that I could weave into a romantic love affair. I heard a song "Bleeding Love" and it fit. My brain had a picture of two women and I KNEW one was straight...

Other threads~like the one I am doing with my Alpha are based on Twisted Fairy Tales~Little Red Riding Hood....

But mostly, it is music or a simple emotion....

 

[Veroe]

Sometimes things just get stuck up there, usually a picture and that picture just sits there but gathering other thoughts or other pics start sticking to it usually both until it all of a sudden like a katamari ball from that video game it starts rolling around in my brain and the course of destruction becomes a new story idea.
Does that make any sense?

Sometimes they come by me thinking of the regular pattern a story takes...such as A man inherits an uncle's property including his sexslave...cliche right...done a hundred different times here on this forum alone right...but then I start thinking what if...What if it was set in mythological greece...what if the genders were reversed...what if I didn't play the man who inherits the sexslave...what if the man was a total asshole and the woman runs away from him...What if I play the normal everyday guy who sees her in the rain on the side of the street and gives her a lift.
hmm that's actually not a bad idea there.

 

[Alana_]

Last night I thought I had it. A post apocalyptic story, which I love, but it sounded in my head too alike one I've covered. And I can't think how to make it differ. Over thinking it is driving me nuts. A story is too vital for me. I just have to have a decent story that will last through out the thread, with the naughty stuff having its place, but not taking over.

My poor brain is farting bubbles right now, and nothings working.



http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pPAKfdq2EII/SNk9fMx_lVI/AAAAAAAABBI/rMI1ynMtlwM/s400/BrainFart.jpg

 

[sallythescorpian]

For me, ideas come in fits and starts. I am a prolific reader (mostly of trash, but with the odd quality publication thrown in). Sometimes I might like one aspect of a book, and I .... ahem.... 'borrow' that, and and alter / add stuff to make the it way I like.

News items, songs or a picture may on occasion provide the germ of an idea.

I often find, when I have one idea that appeals to me, several others will occur almost simultaneously, so its a 'feast or famine' kind of thing! If I can, I add them on my laptop to a page of sketchy ideas I have. Sometimes I'll come back to one of them, and have an entirely different take on an idea.

But for me, I like to write SRP organically. I like to react to my co author's posts, and they to mine, and often the thread may veer off in a totally different direction to the one I imagined initially.

Sometimes I have posted a concept, and sought co authors, and while working out a storyline via pm, we can come up with something we both enjoy.

I also occasionally do exercises with a sketchy idea. The Who, What, Where, When and Why. Sometime an idea that doesn't seem to 'fit' might work in say a historical setting, for example, or a sci fi setting.

I guess in a rather rambling way, I doing my version of Vail's brainstorming, although in a less structured way!! But whatever ideas you have, do write them down, I know for me, and idea comes and goes, and I can't recall it, unless I've jotted it down!!!

 

[fddb410]

I'm actually lousy at coming up with SRP ideas, usually.
My strength is in creating characters, more than stories.
What does work for me tends to be one of two things...
1. a hook comes to mind: sometimes its just a random image in my head, or a line of dialog, or a hint of a scene. And from there I end up building the idea, based on getting to that image/dialog/scene.
2. I keep throwing stuff down on paper until something works. This is a completely unfun way of doing it, but, sooner or later it comes together.

But overall, I suck at it.

I think I'm a kindred spirit of yours, Ms. Indigo as I've done much the same techniques. I'm finding that I'm much better working out an idea of someone else's with them than coming up with original ones of my own. On another site my posted ideas have gone ignored

 

[Britwitch]

Images to a certain degree inspire me, places/buildings especially. I love to think about who might live there, about if they were happy...about their life...I get the character from the building and go from there. That's happened a lot with my more historical stories.
Music is definitely a big inspiration for me too, when I'm stuck it's almost always music I turn to in order to get the creative juices flowing.
But it can be something as random as a street name or a snatch of overheard conversation...