Just got back from the strip club, I think I have the start of a new story. Love taking ideas from real life.
Yes, story ideas can come from any inspiration, and you need to be receptive to these moments. (I'm assuming that was the point of the thread, seeing as it is in Writing Issues).
I was observing many of the "patrons" and making up back stories for them. Why invent characters when you can go outside and meet them in real life? I had the idea for a short story before I ever left and the guy on my right pounding on the stage with his fist will be my antagonist. I wouldn't want to meet that guy in a dark alley in real life.
If you are making up backstories, then you are inventing the characters. You are not 'meeting' them. Not unless you talk to them and get their stories. Just seeing some guy in a strip club only gives you a visual reference for your imagination.
Go back to your heading. What about "The life and death of a G string".. could make a good short story for playboy or similar.
Not too many guitars in strip clubs. A coffeehouse might be a better place to research the G-string story.
In my experience...I never observed the patrons while at a strip club...............................................if I was going to create a backstory it would be about a stripper. The strippers are far more interesting. I was once yelled at by a BBW for refusing a dance. Now she could be a character. The bouncers can be interesting as well.
Keith is vaguely reminding me of a line in Slaughterhouse 5 --- "The thing is, he has great ideas, but he's a terrible writer" Is it a coincidence your initials are the same as Kilgore Trout? (Not to imply you're a "terrible writer". You just seem to start a bunch of threads with interesting topics and no meat attached to them.)
Two things: 1 - The Troll has been banished. 2 - He actually writes about Trolls in his books! 3 - There is no three. I said two things.