What sends that first tingle shivering down your spine? Where do you get your story ideas from? Your characters’ personalities?
I like “out of the box” female characters, so when I saw this photo, I knew I had to have a WWII woman who liked to wear pants in spite of what her love interest thought. This lovely girl standing next to an auto in pants flapping about her ankles showed me vulnerability, sweetness, and courage. Because young ladies did not often allow themselves to be seen in pants in the early forties, she had to exhibit courage.
A news story often sets my heart to pounding. A corrupt politician—I’m guessing those stories are overdone because of the abundance of material J. A kidnapping, a restaurant closed because its main course meouuwed. So many interesting articles, news bytes and such that there is a “novel” idea around each corner.
Where do your ideas come from?
What makes your senses go on full alert?
8 comments:
Airports! If I'm travelling alone and have time to kill, an airport is like a non-stop idea machine. Crying kids, stressed-out business people, couples arguing...oh my word! I'll find myself walking behind someone and inevitably hear their phone chats and start filling in the other end of the conversation.
I remember being in an airport last summer and seeing a man dressed like he was about to shoot a hip-hop video. He had ALL the bling, and the clothes and the hat on sideways. But what he was doing did me in. He was holding up his phone and looking into it. I walked a little closer and just about teared up. There was a young child on the screen, laughing and waving. The young man was laughing and waving back. "I'm going to miss you buddy, but I'll be home soon, Daddy loves you, pal, I love you so much!"
Here was a sweet, touching story, playing out for everyone to see, and that young father just wanted to love his child. He didn't care what anyone else thought, which made the story even better.
Oh, Jennifer. What a great place for grist. I have to admit to a great airport story myself. While returning from Oregon after Christmas, a man was standing at the check-in. I did one of those double takes, because I couldn't believe what I was seeing. He was probably in late 50s, had a camo jacket on and had the whole pants down thing going on, only his shorts were also down. I'm not kidding, I can hardly stop laughing while writing this. By now, we were boarding and walking past him. Everyone was doing their best not to laugh. Really? 50 and with your pants down??? Finally, a guy behind us said, "Look out, camo crack!" And we all "crack"ed
up. Pardon if this is too crude, but it gives another idea of how rich the airport is with idea. I'd cracking up sitting here. Okay, crude story is finally done!
BTW, I hope no one's offended, true story!
No offense taken. I've seen the same or worse at a certain retail giant we all know and sometimes visit.
But on a writerly note, last year I suddenly had new eyes for the some of my dad's WWII memorabilia I've had around forever. Primarily pictures of my father taken with a young Korean woman. I've always wondered ... Now I'm mentally writing and was encouraged to see the interest in the era.
Your picture above reminds me of my great aunt who in her 104 years hid in a flour barrel as a young girl when an Indian "hunting" party came to "visit," wore pants (and ran bush to bush to the neighbors to show her friend without being seen in public), cut her long hair to spite her husband, buried two husbands and all of her children, and taught me how to make bread without a recipe. Gotta be a story in there somewhere, although I did name the heroine of my Heartsong novel after her.
Images, definitely (this photo is wonderful!), as well as music. Many times I am inspired while working on projects. It never fails that one book will lead to the idea for two more for consideration later on. :)
Linda...HAHAHAHA!! I'd have fainted or burst out laughing!!
And anyone who has been outdoors has seen someone dressed like this.
Pictures! My sister is a photographer and a couple of her shots have triggered stories, and one of them grew into a series idea.
Of course, a photo I was hoping for a series of pictures on was only a single shot...a surfer with dreadlocks! LoL. I'm still waiting for him to tell me his story--but I know there's one there! ;-)
Honestly, my experiences have lately been coming minute-to-minute from every day life. My boss may say something, or I'll overhear a someone's conversation, or I'll see something on TV that will give me an idea. I see people, places, and pets all the time that end up in my stories...or on my humor blog in one way or the other.
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