Where does your inspiration come from?

[serria]

I know this is a broad question, but what is your experience of deciding to write something? Whether it's just a little plot bunny that you spend an hour toying with using a Wordpad document, or a novel that you start charting. Do you think there's a pattern in what "inspires" you to write? Where does it tend to come from?

If I were to divide my inspiration sources, I'd say they went something like this. A tiny portion might come from real people. Something someone said, or the way someone I knew acted, or the way two people acted around each other might inspire a story in my head (though I wouldn't say any of my characters have ever been total replications of real people). A good chunk of inspiration comes from my own experiences, usually while I'm having them. I could be hang gliding or something nuts like that, and while I was doing it I'd start working a story in my head. A lot comes from my study of history (being as my genre of choice is fantasy/historical) - learning about some kind of ancient system of society, or even the little things, like how people cooked or what games they played, make me want to write something. Then, I have to admit, a lot of inspiration comes from existing media. I don't mean writing fanfiction or anything, but when I read, watch or play something with a lush fictional world, and I get plot ideas in my head that are never actually realized in the real story, I like to tinker with them until they become unique. That's especially easy with really open world video games, like Skyrim, where a lot of the game is just wandering around the detailed map.

How about you guys? I know a lot of people who are inspired by social issues, family or work experiences, their friends, and so on. What gives you that rush that makes you want to start something new?

Comments

[alexseanchai]

Usually my ideas are fanficcy in nature, so they come from flaws or what-ifs in existing canon. Substitute 'world' for 'canon' and you see the origins of most of my not-fanficcy ideas.

[serria]

I haven't written a fanfic in a little while, but I used to write a lot. For one series in particular, most of my story ideas came from either plot holes, "time jump" periods within the storyline, or what-ifs that play with alternate possible scenarios. I can definitely relate! Of course, there were fanfics that just wanted to explore a particular character, or relationship between characters, which are also fun. But the ones that sort of fill in the canon story were always my favorite to write.