You know the cliche: good artists copy, great artists steal. What books/movies/tv shows/video games are you cribbing ideas from? Isit a worldbuilding concept? A character arc? A particular tone or genre? A line of prose? Were you looking to emulate that idea or depart from it in some way?
My current series about an outlaw bike gang was sort of inspired by sons of anarchy. But only in so much as to do what it should have been without all the silly shit The actual inspiration was a conversation with a Hells Angel about all the things SOA get wrong and why writers don't get them right
It depends...I feel like I can find inspiration from anywhere. That doesn't mean I will, but more so that I'm just open to it. You never know where that inspiring lightning bolt will strike from. In my first collection, there was a chapter that was very plainly inspired by the book Shoeless Joe and the movie Field of Dreams. It ended up almost being like fanfic to that story. Another chapter was inspired by a recurring dream, and I got the idea for another by looking at my friend's motorcycle. Seeking inspiration is a good practice but it doesn't always work if you force it. Letting it come naturally is more genuine and helpful, I think.
My inspirations come from many different places. I love classical/medieval/renaissance type of art, buildings, and music, so I will include a lot of intricate beauty to my fictional universe. Other places are science fiction, fantasy books/movies/tv series, I draw a lot of inspiration from such stories and ideas. So basically, I will have this far, far advanced (technology = magic) universe with a utopia type of renaissance beauty to it.
My first novel was a hybrid of pop culture that I was watching at the time - Twin Peaks, amnesia novels and movies - Run Jane Run, Spellbound, The Bourne Identity (Chamberlain version), and a storyline in the Young and the Restless, I even named a character in the book after one of the characters - Cassandra. My new novel takes influence from several old movies - Inside Daisy Clover, The Legend of Lylah Clare, The Bad and the Beautiful and a line in The Misfits spoken by Clark Gable who plays Gaylord - "Damn 'em all. They changed it, changed it all around. Smeared it all over with blood. I'm finished with it. It's like roping a dream now. I just gotta find another way to be alive, that's all. If there is one anymore." There was also a real life incident that happened at a zoo that I incorporated as a metaphor. Added the culture of 'reality shows' versus tv epics. And I mixed it all up with creative jealousy and my thoughts on the implosion of Hollywood.
47 years ago I read, 'Working,' by Studs Terkel. It showed me that everyone has a story and that sometimes what we consider mundane, can and is actually very interesting. There is an art to a sharing a story, digging for the details and being able to tell it in an interesting fashion. Free download of the book here. https://www.academia.edu/30256506/Studs_Terkel_Working
My first book Under the Knife was heavily influenced by Top Chef with a sprinkling of Hell's Kitchen and Chopped. I was inspired to write my 3rd book Gravity while watching Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition with Chris Powell. My current WIP Always Leads to You was inspired by two Taylor Swift songs; Tis the Damn Season and Back to December. I'm dropping some Easter eggs referencing other songs of hers here and there throughout the book, but nothing overt or too often. More like a character wearing a red scarf (All Too Well) or the couple drinking inexpensive rose wine (Maroon). Oh, and the title is a lyric snippet from TtDS (It always leads to you, in my hometown). My goal is that only the most dedicated of Swifties would pick up on them.
A lot of my inspiration actually comes from artwork, often providing a rough concept for a character or location that'll spawn a novel idea. I've set up two custom feeds on Reddit that are filled solely with artwork and I keep a log of every piece of art and the author that catches my eye.
Elden Ring. It was the game that made me realize I needed to go back into writing and also add more lore to my stories. Lore doesn't have to be "in your face" for it to be effective.
I’ve found inspiration from a lot of places: True stories in old books Classic poems, or anything from my favorite living poets Well-known quotations Things that happened to me or people I know Issues that weigh heavily on my heart Reversing tired old tropes Taking already ridiculous ideas to the next level to show just how absurd they are (e.g., thinking of online dating, I thought, “What’s next? Online marriage?” I wrote a flash fiction story based on that) News stories (some a few years old) Dreams Biographies Letters to the editors of magazines
My most recent short story was based on one of the Mars robots and the Arecibo message. I read an article that the mars robot (i forget which one) sings itself happy birthday..... And for some reason, it made me sad. So i got to thinking.... A robot/voyager sent out as a messenger of humanity, but doesnt really understand what it means to be human and doesnt understand why it has certain feelings, like loneliness and sadness. I guess im more inspired by emotions. Its always "how does this article/picture/situation/idea make me feel?" And then the story and characters evolve based on those emotions.
This sounds like a really great story. If you are looking for a beta reader for it, feel free to send it my way. I think you still have my email or you can message me. Either way, it sounds like a good one!
