What Inspires You To Write?

[Louchiere]

What inspires you to write? Is it a certain person, a special place, a song? It would be really great to swap ideas. I always find music my greatest inspiration and can't write without it. But how about all of you? :)

[Tommie Lyn]

Music is a very powerful influence for me. I have a couple of pieces I call my "writing music" that I listen to non-stop at times when I'm letting the first draft flow. It's like that music leaves an emotional "fingerprint" on my writing. I can tell the difference in the "tone" and feel of short stories I write while listening and the ones I write when not listening.

[JMK]

Sometimes an urgent desire to write about a particular topic inspires me to write. But most of the time, it's just plain plodding along to produce something.

[tneeley]

Observing life inspires me to write. Scripture also inspires me to write.

[wardog25]

Christian music and spending time with the Lord are my biggest inspirations.

[sommergirl]

I have to agree that music is a big inspiration to me, too. However, sometimes I feel inspired to write by listening to stories about people's lives. I always think, "What would have happened if..." or "What would I do if that happened to me or someone I know?" It sounds cheesy, I know, but after all, what story has never been written in some form or fashion before? Sometimes, I just watch people and let my imagination go wild. (in a good way) I used to make up stories about the lives of my Barbie dolls as a child, yes, I did. It was like one big soap opera, sometimes.

[JMK]

It's funny you mention that (Barbie dolls). For some reason it triggered a memory in my about my grade-school years when I played "pretend" with friends--and then continued making up stories in my head while going to sleep at night. God's gift of imagination is amazing. :-)

[ShiroiHikari]

This is a good question...I actually haven't yet figured out what triggers my desire to write. I have things that help me be more productive once I'm actually in the mood to write, but I don't know how to inspire myself. It would be nice if I did. :[

[Tarin]

Music, movies, and books - in short, the stories of others. Good stories spawn good stories. :)

[Tommie Lyn]

It's funny you mention that (Barbie dolls). For some reason it triggered a memory in my about my grade-school years when I played "pretend" with friends--and then continued making up stories in my head while going to sleep at night. God's gift of imagination is amazing. :-)

I was an only child until the age of five and spent a lot of time in my imagination -- had an imaginary friend, entertained myself with stories, etc. Later, when I did have playmates, I continued my private storytelling -- and still do it today to entertain myself. So -- I don't need inspiration to get a story to flow, just to influence the tone and quality of it, and I use music to do that.

[lynnmosher]

All of those mentioned above and probably more. I never know what will spark a story or devotion but it is always the fingerprint of the Lord pressing on my heart.

[Mouse5]

Sometimes books, music, movies, or my kids. But mostly a good walk alone in the woods provides me with the most inspiration. There is just something about being by myself without a care or worry weaving in and out of the trees (trying to stay out of poison ivy:rolleyes:) that brings my imagination out in its fullness.

[Timber Wolf]

Life.

I see something and I note it for later reference and eventually it ends up used somewhere it seems.

I like classical music, and photography, and did drama in HS, etc., I think all of this inspires my writing.

Other books - including the Bible, movies.

Life.

[KO'Leary]

Reading inspires me. Also, life experiences. But through it all, I hope God guides me in my journey to touch lives with my words.

Karen

[melw]

I think for me it is more than just one thing.

I love my music, but can't always listen to it. But i think it help me think of what ifs.

I often think of an an idea in one book and that often gives me a start. they never turn out like the book, so i am not copying them.

A name or litte thought can be the inspiration, something someone tells you. It is hard to put my finger on just one thing.

MEL

[TamaraRH]

Nature, books/others' stories, music, movies.:)

Tami

[grimsleygl]

What inspires you to write?

Nice question Louchiere! For me it's a spiritual thing. Something touches me deeply...possibly that I've read, seen, remembered, heard, thought. Sometimes even a smell will do it.

At times there will be something to trigger a memory that I'm inspired to share with others.

When I have heard God speaking to me intimately either through the scriptures, or through an extraordinary spiritual experience. (One can't get enough of those!)

Certain writer's words, put together in such a way that tantalize and stimulate ideas grab me quickly. (one-liners that catch my attention and entice my muse to come out to play!)

Thanks for asking. I've never really thought about it before.

[Rachel E.]

Mostly music, I listen to music all the time I'm writing. but also, stories I read or hear from other people. And then every once in a while, I'll be imagining like normal, and come up with a really good storyline. One time it was a dream.
But the top of the list of inspirations is God. He's the one that gave me the talent and the desire, and I can always tell if a story is Him-lead or not...Some of them are so amazing, and some of them really stink! lol.

sorry my poor bored friends, I'll shut up now!

[kelly]

I understand what you mean gerrie. I also find myself inspired by things that touch me deeply. It is that need to capture and express the feeling evoked that drives me to write.

[adetokunbo]

Mine is,:)
sight and sound, being reflective and finally,
i see vivid pictures of what im writting, i believe they come as prophesies and they are poems. lenghty or precise.
Only God can do thus!

[Eblackwell]

One day I was praying and the Lord was revealing things in my life that was not right. He begin to show me my errors. I started to study genesis and before the fall because I believe that before the fall, you can see God's original intent for this world. Adam was naked and unashamed, but there were things that I was hiding for God and noticed that many others were doing the same. That is when I started writing "Skinny Dipping with the Savior".

[Rhadaghast]

I see things in scripture that just stop me cold and make the imagination explode. Like the fact that Adams grandson smelted iron and bronze. Adam could have watched over his shoulder. See Genesis 4:21-22.

[dbrass]

Hmmm so many things. Living in Alaska, all around is the beauty and majest of God's creation which could keep us all busy for the rest of our lives. Observing people is also very inspirational. Most recently though, inspiration has been struggle and overcoming the hardships, bruised feelings and allowing our sweet Lord to go deep into those places where we seem to feel He cannot have the answer. Which, of course, He does. This is inspirational.

[Rachel E.]

I see things in scripture that just stop me cold and make the imagination explode. Like the fact that Adams grandson smelted iron and bronze. Adam could have watched over his shoulder. See Genesis 4:21-22.

Wow...that is awesome. I love insights in Scripture! My family are just doing a study on Love, and all the different types there are, and what their original meanings in the Greek are, and that sort of stuff... Like in John 4 where it says that without love, we can't know God...and 1 Cor 13 is the love we have to have. Anyway, in all it adds up to a fascinating word study.
I'll stop boring you now..thanks for the insight there Rhadaghast!

[David Meigs]

I have to shut-out everything when I write, but I like cutting firewood when fleshing out a scene.

[whitehawke]

Sometimes emptiness makes me write, it can free me to dream of better days, far off lands. Sometimes the rain, or sun, dreams, pictures, a stirring breeze, music. Sometimes joy and the power of God's glorious presence and love. Friends.

[paulchernoch]

Numberless are the things that inspire me. It is enough for me to remember the most recent thing: a license plate. As I was driving my daughter to school this morning, she saw a license plate that said "Namaste" and asked what it meant. I didn't know, but the word was familiar. It got me thinking, and I remembered it was used in a story book I used to read my kids as an Indian greeting of some sort. So when I got to work this morning, I googled it. Its precise meaning is subject to speculation, but "I bow to you" will do. It usually accompanies a hand gesture and a bow. Its significance is "That which is of the Divine in me greets that which is of the Divine in you." It is practiced by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains, but also accepted by Muslims and Christians in India.

My novel has some Indian characters, and adding this small ritual would improve one scene's authenticity.

- Paul

[Timber Wolf]

Hmmm so many things. Living in Alaska, all around is the beauty and majest of God's creation which could keep us all busy for the rest of our lives. Observing people is also very inspirational. Most recently though, inspiration has been struggle and overcoming the hardships, bruised feelings and allowing our sweet Lord to go deep into those places where we seem to feel He cannot have the answer. Which, of course, He does. This is inspirational.

****Thread hijack*****
Where in AK? And I see you are new. w/ only 5 posts - so welcome.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.
*****

[mel3]

God and Music, definately. Cant write without God.Cant write without a soundtrack!
Also, I draw my characters in the situations they are in, sort of illustrate my book before actually writing it. Sometimes a visual image of what I want to say can help me if I am going for a specific mood.
If anybody is looking for me,I am usually neck deep in an avalanche of hurried sketches!.

[Louchiere]

I am amazed by all the feedback! Thinking like this helps one get their focus right:) Thank you everyone! :)

[passionpen]

Hmm...

I'm inspired by multiple things. Good lyrics inspire me to write songs/poetry mostly, sometimes stories. Good movies and novels make want to write stories. Any art form--Dance, Painting, etc--anything the requires creativity gets me going. It's like a domino effect. I see the creative work of other artists and my creative juices start going.

Scripture inspires me as well, but not as much. Sometimes I'll see a verse and I'll think, "I wonder what a story would look like with that as the premise." Take for instance my signature scripture--Desire without knowledge is not good, and to be overhasty is to sin and miss the mark. I just realized that that is the premise for the first part of the novel I'm working on.

So yeah, I'm inspired by many things. Life.

[srussell]

Sometimes my inspiration comes in the form of a ridiculous question, like "What if a green elephant walked into my living room?" OK, that sounds like the start of a Dr Seuss book, but you get the idea.

Sam

[jacks girl]

Oh my just about anything. I can watch a show and say hey they didn't do that right. Or man what if this happened. I can't stop them it seems. LOL

Jacks
I'm just so happy the ideas keep coming.

[mel3]

Sometimes my inspiration comes in the form of a ridiculous question, like "What if a green elephant walked into my living room?" OK, that sounds like the start of a Dr Seuss book, but you get the idea.

Sam

I want a green elephant.

[Tarin]

I can watch a show and say hey they didn't do that right.

Me too. I actually get a lot of ideas from "fixing" other people's movies and novels. ;)

[jacks girl]

LOL same here Tarin. It's hard on me to watch TV. LOL


Jacks

[ChrisDepew]

For me, mostly scripture. If there was another "thing" that made me want to write it would have to be non-beleivers and their view of faith. I so want to try and change the way that "older" generations have formed the meaning of Christian. Most of what they have formed has little to do with how Jesus wants us to live life. So, there you go. If I say much more I will be trouble.

[Sweetbriar4]

Sights, aromas, sometimes a bit of overheard conversation that doesn't make sense, sometimes someone saying something you never expected them to say, sometimes a sermon, sometimes just looking out of a window. Anything can trigger it.

And it never seems to be the same thing twice.

[Timber Wolf]

That reminds me. In HS our English teacher had us all smell a scent / odor and write a story based on something the smell reminded us of.

[Divinator]

Most of what has been said. Not one thing inspires me. I dont wait on inspiration. I believe, like many others, in God's omnipresence. So the Source is there always; but we just have to get in tune or in sync with it. We cant let mood stop us and for those writers who live by what they write, they know what I am talking about. Still, at times it is really hard to get those first words out. I never quit--no matter what comes out and boy sometimes I just cant believe what comes out. I say, "I didnt write that. That's not me." :)

[righter1]

I'm with everyone on most of what they've said. When I'm working on plotting, I love to go for a walk in the woods, especially if I'm stuck on a problem.

But, sometimes my characters--and characters others have written--inspire me. If you know your characters, sometimes stories that you never imagined come to life. :)

Music tends to help me relax when I'm writing, and I can listen to almost anything--right now, I've got Accuradio on with the Sammy Cahn songbook channel, and loving it. They had Frank Sinatra's "High Hopes" on a few minutes ago as I was reading through this thread. It seemed apt at the time. But, as music helps me relax, I don't think it truly inspires me. It may help me keep my butt in the chair, but I can think of very few instances where a song has directly prompted a story. I do have songs that when I hear them, they make me think of certain characters and their situation. I think that's interesting that my characters seem to get theme songs from time to time. :) Hmm, now that could make an interesting thread... :rolleyes:

[dramsey]

The Bible and its stories and truths as well as things that happen in my life. I have had a very rich life with my family and friends. I am now writing my mission trip into a book and hope to be taking another one in September. I love to write for children and will take a Bible story and tell it from another character in the story or as it would be if I were actually there as one of the characters. Music is a wonderful part of my life and inspires me to write. I am writing a devotional book for tweens and have been asked to write a devotional book for very busy mothers. All these ideas have really inspired me to want to use my writing to spread the love of God to anyone who reads my work.

[Crystal]

I think I would have to say books. When I read it moves me. I like to write about the things the Lord is teaching me.

Crystal

[Cymrugirl]

For me, spring and things growing has always been a season of inspirational turbulence. I find so much joy in watching the promises of God personified in the miracle of the earth coming back to life from winter, that my heart just bursts with passion for the Garden-keeper.

The turbulence comes from this constant pull to take up my pen and record my joy for posterity and the call to experience the sights and wonders of the beauty herself. The beauty nearly always wins. I write less in the spring than any other time of year, because I'm up to my knuckles in dirt - and yet, there is no other time that I feel more like writing. Strange, huh?

I've always figured Francis Hodges Burnett must have finally been able to give up a spring one year in order to write her Secret Garden. (my only annual read) Then there's Enchanted April. These books would have had to be written in the midst of spring's throes, they capture it so well - along with the spiritual reflection of this rainy, green, purple-backed season. I just can't seem to leave her long enough to write about her. I'm too in love. What did Shakespeare say? Who will believe my verse in time to come, if it were fill'd with your most high deserts...

Yes indeed.

[davitainchina]

Music is huge along with great books. The last story I just finished (editing right now) began after reading a book 2xs (back to back) and a Christian song.

The story I am currently outlineing and building began from a dream, a really silly dream that followed me the rest of the day. So I wrote vague notes about the random thoughts in my head and started to see a story there.

Sometimes movies provide certain scenes, though I've never (yet) had a movie inspire me with an entire plotline.

Devotionals also help add scenes to my stories.

Even when I was young and making up stories to play pretend to, I often used music. I would steal my grandma's tape player and play the same song or two over and over again while playing.

It's amazing all the things God uses to spark our imaginations. :)

[Divinator]

The ancients mystics and many who devote themselves to the monastic life use music too. It puts them in a state of union with the Holy of Holies and there they find inspiration, healing, profound peace, and ideas 'galore'. Interestingly, many of the oriental gurus use mantra, vowel sounds, chants, to raise their level of consciousness. I believe a smililar effect occurs with us all with specific types of music--take the praise and worship times in church.

[Tommie Lyn]

But, as music helps me relax, I don't think it truly inspires me. It may help me keep my butt in the chair, but I can think of very few instances where a song has directly prompted a story.
I think the word "inspire" may mean different things to us.

When I say music inspires what I write, I mean that music breathes life into what I write, imbues it with feeling.

The stories will come, regardless. Sometimes sparked into flow by a word prompt, sometimes by something I've seen. But, many times, they come unbidden -- sparked by nothing at all.

However, if I want the story to be "inspired," or "imbued" with feeling, I listen to music while I write.

[jacks girl]

Music sometimes breathes life into my stories too. It gets my video in my mind to rolling. Puts me in a writing mood, inspire i'm not sure... But it helps that's for sure.

jacks

[brandilyncollins]

Two words: a deadline.

[Trilby]

Walking...nature...these promote the prose that surges forth for expression...I guess the change of scenery allows the cobwebs of my mind to be swept away and allows new ideas to emerge.

Speaking of music. The movie, "Something's Gotta Give" with Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson features Diane Keaton as "a successful New York playwright." She writes to French music in the background...it's a hoot - if you haven't seen it - indulge and enjoy being inspired. (albeit its fictional):cool:

[AyatsuriNingyo]

Writing turns emotion into paint for the canvas of the written page. As the artist may look at their colors and see a sunset or a playing child, so the writer can look upon their 'paints' and see a place, an event, a whole lifetime, a world apart. Either way, if the artist looks upon their colors and "brings forth evil things out of an evil treasure" of the heart, both take their souls in their own hands the moment they pick up brush or pen.

Inspiration comes from the Latin meaning "to breathe into" ... A thing of the spirit, it is only a question of which spirit breathes into us, or which tempers the judgment of the vision of the blank canvass in question. By that spirit, and our cooperation or lack thereof, the work we produce will take ourselves and our audience either one step closer to heaven, or hell.

[templar]

My two children, and I'll tell you why.

A good friend of mine is about ten years older than me and so got a headstart trying to figure out fatherhood. He had to children, one daughter and one son, or as he called them, Daddy's Girl and Daddy's Boy. It was amazing to me how close he was to those two kids. But then they hit their teenage years, and everything started to fall apart. We all rebel a little around that time, I think. Most of us are fortunate enough to come to our senses eventually and make amends for whatever bad we've done. But not them. College came next, and they've both graduated now and have moved to another state. As for my friend, he calls and emails his kids, but they're too busy with their lives to have any real relationship with their parents. It's sad. And scary. Here was a guy who was once the world to his kids, and now they've drifted apart through no fault of his own.

So even though I'm close to my two small children now, and plan to be always, I know what can happen. And (God forbid) if that ever happens, I at least want something written down that they can take with them wherever they go to remind them of me.