The Shower
Don't know about you, but sometimes finding space away from the kids, the noise, the stress, is in the shower. That's the perfect place to clear your mind and do a little plotting.
At Church/The Bible
I hope I don't offend anyone with this, but I have let my mind wander during church. The pastor will give a really good message or refer to a passage in the Bible, and I'll think, "Wow, I should really teach my character that lesson," or "That would be a great verse to base my book on." Not only that, the Bible is all about people who lived and learned and grew and went through struggles just like us, and just like our characters. A great place find fodder or inspiration for our work.
Movies/Books
But of course we'll find inspiration from other story-telling avenues. If you're looking for a new idea or some inspiration for what you're currently writing, these are great places to look.
In the Car
Sometimes the only time I have to stop and think is when I'm going from one place to the next. Many times I'll turn down the radio, tune out the voices in the back if there are any, and get to know my characters.
Doctor's Office/Waiting Room/Hair Stylist
Again, here all you're doing is waiting. Places like this sometimes give you the opportunity (whether you like it or not) to think, so bring along a notebook and use it to help plot your story or think of another
great conflict.Doing the Laundry/Dishes
Same as above. Great thinking time. And we all know writers are fabulous multi-taskers.
Your Dreams
I know many of us out there have gotten inspiration for a story from a dream. Not only that, some dreams are so vivid, they're great for helping to bring life to our story descriptions.
Sure we can find story ideas or inspiration for our current WIP's anywhere, but these are some of my favorite--and most used--places.
Where do you commonly find story ideas or inspiration for a story you're already working on?
***photos by oxygenics and Darwin Bell
All great places, Cindy!
ReplyDeleteI often find my story ideas in the shower. I always wish a great idea would come in a dream, but for some reason this has never happened to me...yet. Still hoping!
No offense taken! I know I can't stop my mind wandering. It happens and then I realize it happened and have to rein things in. lol
ReplyDeleteMy mind is forever wandering and let's face it, some sermons force your mind out of church.
ReplyDeleteThe shower one made me laugh.
I wish I could just dream a book, chapter by chapter. That would be soooo cool. And easy. :)
ReplyDeleteThe shower is a biggie for me. Not so much for laundry, but it's highly likely b/c I don't do it nearly as often as I should. ;)
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
My story ideas usually come while wandering a history museum or perusing a history book. An event captures my attention, I ask "What if..?" and away I go.
ReplyDeleteFermenting the story happens in a lot of the venues you mentioned, especially the shower, dreams, and church. :)
Heidi, maybe you'll just get snippets for a story in a dream. It seems likes there's always some unusual thing we can use from an unusual place.
ReplyDeleteJessica, glad I'm not the only one!
Martin, I know what you mean. It might be funny, but showers are THE BEST places to think and plot :)
Sherrinda, that WOULD be awesome! And so fun to imagine the scene and see the characters beforehand.
ReplyDeleteFunny Wendy :) Yeah, we all must take a lot of showers around here.
Erica, those are great places. How can you not be inspired by a museum?
I think I've had story ideas in all those places! :) Sermons often make me think of my characters. I have to remind myself I need to focus in church and not get distracted by my WIP.
ReplyDeleteSometimes by watching TV. An entire novel came from a 15-second bit of a show we don't even watch! I also get ideas from different magazines and by eavesdropping. :)
ReplyDeleteAntique stores! :) A lot of time one item will trigger an idea and voila ... my imagination is OFF!
ReplyDeleteJulie, that's right! We need to focus :) But it's great that God can use any situation to help spurn a story idea :)
ReplyDeleteThat's great, Jill! 15 seconds? Oh, can't forget about eavesdropping, you're right. Every day people have such interesting lives.
Jaime, that's awesome! I love antique stores--what a great place to get inspiration.
I have always been inspired in the shower...lol. I don't know why. Glad I'm not the only one.
ReplyDeleteGreat list of places.
Haha, I totally do the same thing at church. People probably think I'm frantically scribbling notes for myself, but they're really for one of my books. (Although I of course seem to learn all the same lessons my characters learn along the way.) :)
ReplyDeleteLoree, looks like most of us find inspiration in the shower. A good writer's secret :)
ReplyDeleteGreat point, Sarah. Typically the things we're writing down for our characters are the things that resonate with us, too.
I get ideas in the shower, too, as well as when sitting in church and while taking my walks. I also get ideas when I'm lying in bed at night experiencing those fuzzy-headed minutes just before sleep. I love when those final thoughts of the day infiltrate my dreams. Story fodder at its finest!
ReplyDeleteThe shower is a key one for me as well, but similar to Keli some of my best ideas come right before I'm drifting off to sleep. Great list, Cindy!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite place to conjure a story is riding along in the car and watching out the window...just a simple hour long drive to nowhere with someone else driving and the world passing by outside the window can give me enough fodder and thinking time to keep me writing for a long while!
ReplyDeleteFunny you should ask! A few nights ago, I had a dream with a whole new start and main character.
ReplyDeleteAll of the places you mentioned are great places to find ideas. I always have a small notebook with me in church...not just because I have kids. I too get ideas during the sermon.
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
Thanks.