valiant12
Sage
Do you draw inspiration from your personal life? What inspired your current wip ?
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Which real life events inspired your current WiP?
- Thread starter valiant12
- Start date
What a fun question!
Yes, my 90-year-old grandfather inspired my title character, Blackbeard.
My grandfather was a British naval officer during WW2. He was actually on the ship where Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt signed one of their agreements. He saw the whole world and grew to hate the smell of garlic because it was used to cover the smell and taste of bad/rotting meat.
I have grown up my entire life hearing about his stories and about war and about how much he hated it. He wanted to be an actor. He used to dress as a woman to sing and dance for the other sailors lol. But he never did get to be an actor. The war ended and he married and had three children and became a manager at a paint store. He taught High School drama and eventually drama classes to convicts in high security prison.
I have based my version of the famous pirate Blackbeard off of him. In my story, Blackbeard was a professor at Cambridge University, where he earned his nickname Edward "Teach". He taught classical drama and indulged in some theatrics himself (which the real Blackbeard was known for). As a young man, he was enlisted in the Royal Navy to help in Queen Anne's war against the Spanish and after sometime grew disillusioned with the war and went into Privateering.
The rest of his life was spent in character, on a watery stage. Bringing life to this "Blackbeard" who was never really his real self.
The way my character behaves, the things he loves, the things he says and the way he says them are all my old Grandad.
Yes, my 90-year-old grandfather inspired my title character, Blackbeard.
My grandfather was a British naval officer during WW2. He was actually on the ship where Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt signed one of their agreements. He saw the whole world and grew to hate the smell of garlic because it was used to cover the smell and taste of bad/rotting meat.
I have grown up my entire life hearing about his stories and about war and about how much he hated it. He wanted to be an actor. He used to dress as a woman to sing and dance for the other sailors lol. But he never did get to be an actor. The war ended and he married and had three children and became a manager at a paint store. He taught High School drama and eventually drama classes to convicts in high security prison.
I have based my version of the famous pirate Blackbeard off of him. In my story, Blackbeard was a professor at Cambridge University, where he earned his nickname Edward "Teach". He taught classical drama and indulged in some theatrics himself (which the real Blackbeard was known for). As a young man, he was enlisted in the Royal Navy to help in Queen Anne's war against the Spanish and after sometime grew disillusioned with the war and went into Privateering.
The rest of his life was spent in character, on a watery stage. Bringing life to this "Blackbeard" who was never really his real self.
The way my character behaves, the things he loves, the things he says and the way he says them are all my old Grandad.
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DragonOfTheAerie
Vala
That's so cool!
DragonOfTheAerie
Vala
as for my answer to this question...well. I would hope not, if you know what i mean...
My stories are pretty far removed from my own personal experience, really. That's a good thing...not looking to run into any zombies, assassins, deadly parasites or creepy cults in my day-to-day life. Though i do wish things were a bit more interesting around here on occasion.
My stories are pretty far removed from my own personal experience, really. That's a good thing...not looking to run into any zombies, assassins, deadly parasites or creepy cults in my day-to-day life. Though i do wish things were a bit more interesting around here on occasion.
Honestly no, It's not based off from real life experiences. But some of the characters are built off my opinions and feelings.
TWErvin2
Auror
One of the settings for my work soon to be published (Thunder Wells) is a metro park in Toledo, Ohio.
I visited it as a kid, and did my Eagle Scout Project there as a teen (building soil erosion dams). I went back and toured it with my younger daughter to see all of the changes and make sure I had things accurate for the action and description that took place there.
I visited it as a kid, and did my Eagle Scout Project there as a teen (building soil erosion dams). I went back and toured it with my younger daughter to see all of the changes and make sure I had things accurate for the action and description that took place there.
psychotick
Auror
Hi,
I think the key real life experience that inspired my current WIP was watching my neighbours transform into dire wolves!!!
Cheers, Greg.
I think the key real life experience that inspired my current WIP was watching my neighbours transform into dire wolves!!!
Cheers, Greg.
C
Chessie
Guest
Yes, my backyard. My fantasy world, Mirovinia, started out with: what if there were villages on these mountains? Towns? What if these forests were magical? What would a mixture of Alaska Native & Slavic folklore look like in a mountainous world?
Just a few questions I've asked myself while hiking this:
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Gurkhal
Auror
Beautiful landscape in the post above. 
Not much from my personal life, but well from the real world. In my recent WIP I draw inspiration from Richard Lionheart's imprisonment after the Third Crusade and the song he made while he was imprisoned.
Not much from my personal life, but well from the real world. In my recent WIP I draw inspiration from Richard Lionheart's imprisonment after the Third Crusade and the song he made while he was imprisoned.
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Demesnedenoir
Myth Weaver
I would say pieces of the setting and characters are from real life... but the story itself? Not really. History, more so. Book 2 will take a little bit from the Trail of Tears, although very different at the same time. The symbolism of the arc of the first trilogy and the relationship between the lead characters could be said to be loosely inspired by all the "what if" relationships in my life. But I don't know that anyone would get that without my making it heavy handed, or speaking of it after pub.
I also have one character who pays homage to David Bowie (he would've been perfect to play the role) as he died when I was writing the chapter, so I tailored it fit him. I've yet to have anyone pick out the Bowie piece, but I have fun putting that sort of stuff in.
I also have one character who pays homage to David Bowie (he would've been perfect to play the role) as he died when I was writing the chapter, so I tailored it fit him. I've yet to have anyone pick out the Bowie piece, but I have fun putting that sort of stuff in.
cydare
Minstrel
A few years back, my little sister got really sick and I would stay home with her. She wasn't allowed to move from her bed or do anything, so I'd sit by her side and read her stories. Eventually, I started making up one of my own, with her as the main character. It was a fantasy setting, but I'd throw in real little things she did with a magical flair and build up the story like that. I've been writing this for her right now, though I've forgotten a good amount of the details. I guess I want to capture the feeling.
DragonOfTheAerie
Vala
Xitra_Blud
Sage
Nah. I highly doubt it took any inspiration from real life, but who knows?
