I agree with Heinlein....I love creating "what if" worlds. My gift in this life, and therefore my inspiration to write, is my curiosity. Within that cliche phrase "what if" lies so many possibilities and ideas left to be explored. Once I'm in that world, I can create my own rules and anything is possible. My creativity can run free!
I usually start with a scene in my head or an event. I try to write a short story (3000-5000 words), then at the end ask questions about it. Can I expand the background of the character, is there a reason for the scene in alarger context, is everythign wrapped up nicely or does it leave questions/development room? Then you'll know if the idea can have a novel squeezed from it in my opinion. And it's also good practise.
Soft Rains: Me too, Soft Rains. I seem to always start with a "what if" scenario. Then I keep building on that idea. T1
When do you feel at your most inspired? For me, I find that I dont feel equally as inspired everyday. I obviously feel inspired everyday, but there are some days that kick the inspiration and motivation levels to the extreme. Some days its low, most days at a normal, constant level and other days I cannot wait to sit with a notebook and ink pen and scribble away for the day. I feel at my most inspired when, like it is now, its raining hard (or snowing, or foggy, chilly, windy, stormy) - basically when most people believe the weather is grotty. I do not feel at all inspired if its sunny and warm. Strange, but true. So the weather affects my motivation, but so does location. I feel very inspired when on holiday, or on days out and when visiting different locations. I never go away without notebook and pen in my bag, no matter how inconvienient it can be - not many people look amused when you are sat in a beautiful church somewhere new, scribbling away, when you should be watching someone you know get married! So for me to be at my most inspired and motivated I need to be sitting somewhere historic and cosy on a stormy, wet day in winter! As that is when I feel at my most compelled to write - where you just cannot write quick or for long enough! So over to you, my fellow scribes, when do you feel at your most inspired? Are there certain conditions that really kick start your creative juices more than on the average, every day?
I have to say, every day i feel inspired. I would feel it wrong, if there was a reason for me to not be. BUT, those days when it rains and it is dark and stormy, i LOVE sitting in bed with a laptop and a coffee, and writing. I wouldn't say it makes me more inspired, it just makes more sense as i have nothing else to do but write and watch a nice storm.
Strangely, I feel most inspired when I am busy with my day job. I scribble notes on every piece of paper I could find and wish that I'll get a day off to write. But when I do have a day off, I find that I am no longer so inspired to write. So, I open those bits and pieces of paper/notes and try to find the inspiration again. Usually I succeed, luckily. As for weather, I am most inspired by rain and cloudy days. And my latest way of finding inspiration is by reading good novels by talented authors.
when I am on my own and the house is quiet, and right now John Barrowman is getting on my nerves but is inspiring my work lol Wasn't a huge fan to start with I am now heartilly sick of him Basically I am inspired as long as I am not being stood on or climbed over by a small child.
Many have said it already, but for me inspiration can derive from anything and everything. It also helps to have an inquisitive mind and thirst for understanding and exploration. Several factors that come to mind immediately though are location, weather, recent events, media, and of course experience. As a native of the Pacific Northwest and having lived in the high desert of the United States Southwest for a few years I’m often inspired by the beauty and vastness of nature. I’ve had the opportunity to reach the summits of mountains over ten thousand feet in elevation, hiked through deep canyons and gorges, swim behind waterfalls, visit iconic coastlines along the Pacific Ocean, all the while being surrounded by forests, rivers, lakes, mountains, peninsula’s, and islands. Like many authors, I too tend to be more creative when the weather is dreary, stormy, or fog engulfed. While in middle school I lived near the edge of a dense forest and wetland. When this narrow valley behind my house became entrenched in fog it reminded me of Dagoba from Star Wars. I’d stay out there for hours at a time simply to be immersed in this other world. This location and my experiences there directly inspired a key event in my current work. As a kid I can remember drawing inspiration from movies, games, and books such as E.T., Flight of the Navigator, Star Wars, F-Zero, Super Metroid, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Sphere, and Lord of The Rings. I’ve always lived in the country and near nature but felt at ease with technology, which I believe has allowed me to develop my own personal flavor of fiction. Nearly every subject fascinates me; history, science, technology, math, writing, literature, music, nature, athletics, and more. In fact, I have a harder time trying to think of topics that don’t interest me. The only thing that I can even think of at the moment that I’m not interested in is fashion, though even this topic could interest me in the realms of sci-fi or fantasy. I think many writers are similar. They have a broad array of interests and sources of inspiration and experience to draw from.
Movies that inspire me, and music that puts an adrenaline rush in me. When I get adrenaline rushes my imagination goes wild and stories happen!
With non-fiction essays, I've been inspired by real life. Something happens concerning politics, science, or mass culture that motivates me to write about the topic. I have an opinion or perspective that I want to communicate. With fiction, I'm most inspired by other works of fiction. The energy and insight of well-crafted fiction motivates me to create something myself. Real life events and experiences influence the fiction, but they aren't the primary motivating factor when it comes to fiction.
At times, for me, it's the hectic and awful instances in life that inspire the most original and gratifying work.
Everything inspires me. Thoughts, imagination, movies, books, stories, news, physics, math, hospitals, animals, chat, bars, video games, etc.
Real life experiences. But above all, good book- classics, modern, it doesn't matter. Music (song lyrics) have given me ideas for characters. Last but not least, current and political events.
Yep, that's right, the works. But historical events have been playing a bigger role in my work recently.
Music and/or movies tend to put me into an inspired mood. Especially going out to see movies. But I tend to get the best ideas for my stories by letting them grow out of each other. A secondary character in one story, becomes the main character in another. One storyline raises questions that need to be answered in another. Etc. Then, of course, I use small bits and pieces of things I've read, experienced or heard, both fact and fiction, as building blocks for my stories.
TV! xD If I ever need some real inspiration, pop on some riveting drama and I wanna go create my own.
It comes from my insides. You sit with your eyes closed, or stare at a blank sheet of paper, and if you're patient your mind starts pulling things up from the depths. Those begin taking shape, and then I try and figure out what it's trying to turn into, and help it get onto the page.
Inspiration? I love writing but I am in desperate need of some sort of inspiration to get me going and then I can go for miles and miles with it. I just have come to writers block and would like to start a new project but is there any way you get your inspiration? I want to write a unique romance novel but that means steering away from vampires and fallen angels and everything but I still want a dark underlying theme and I am stuck in so many ways. Anybody? Please xx
Same for me. But really, inspiration can come from anywhere. One time I saw something on the news, and one of the expressions the speaker used gave me an instant idea. Not even the news story itself, just that one phrase.
