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Source of Inspirations

Most of our inspirations on creating something interesting are sourced from either personal experiences (involves travelling to certain locations to gain insights, accumulate new ideas by doing something that you possibly seldom do etc.) or material resources (like online research or books).

Regardless of writing or any form of art, inspiration is crucial; it helps us to refer to something familiar to both us (the creators) and the audience. It diminishes the effect of alienation that our creations may lead to. Inspiration is coherently attributed to the importance of reference in our works.

My recent thoughts of originating inspirations from any of my works denote that some might not be as "mature" as better alternatives of gaining them wholly. For example, most of my ideas come from materials online and books, does this kind of method difficult to paint a larger picture of what I want to express? Since everything is in there, and involves a lot of reading and without actual participation, does this method lessen the "feeling towards the inspirations"; hence making the craft less vibrant?

Simply said, I read a lot of books and online articles to inspire myself to write better stories. However, does this method any better than actually involving yourself to experience those things (like e.g.: watching reenactments of historical events) instead? Or does this matter not at all? I would like to hear out your opinions on this, dear Scribes.
 

Zeppo

Dreamer
My inspiration comes from my days playing role playing games. Although I did not give it much thought at the time, it is an incredible creative outlet. The many sourcebooks are full of useful information which is used to craft characters, build out a world, and write out a plot line. However, in the role playing world, this is where the writing ends. Role Players do not need to understand the intricacies of writing dialogue, as much of that is controlled by the players and is improvised.

So, for me, my inspiration is from my years playing those games, but it hasn't helped my writing. I have found that diving into reading is what is actually helping my writing. It is giving me ways to take my own ideas and turn them into a fully flushed out document.

At this point though, I haven't even started writing, the procrastinator in me keeps winning. So you can take my experience with a grain of salt.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
I've been trying to experience what it's like to ride a dragon, talk to elves, dice with dwarves, fight an orc. No luck so far, so I guess I'll have to keep falling back on imagination.
 
I think I'd be much better off letting myself be inspired by nature than from media already created by others.

The problem is that I'm continually coming up with great ideas...then inevitably seeing them already done well in some anime or movie. Being inspired by media isn't a bad thing, and so very little is ever really "totally original," but I find that my mind has been too seeded by all the input from these various media—to the point that I often don't realize how much my own ideas are merely regurgitations. Until I'm slapped in the face with that sudden realization.

But if I take the time to look around me, see the weird insects and birds and, yes, humans around me, I think I'd be inspired in ways that would feel more my own.

Edit: I'll put this another way. When I simply "go within," let my brain imagine things without looking about me, my brain seems to latch on to all that stuff that's been seeded there by other media. I'm just reinventing wheels. At least, this often seems the case.
 
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skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
I do that, FifthView, but I try to turn that to advantage. If my little scurry brain comes up with an image and characteristics for say, pixies, everything is very much what has been done before.

So my next step is to ask what I can change. Then, because it's Altearth, I also have to ask how this revised pixie fits alongside other Altearth creatures in a way that adds interest and does not create contradictions I don't want (some I do want!). When in this revision mode, I'm also pulling from ... well, from just about any and every source, including just daily observation. I think of it as akin to jazz. The jazz musician starts with the song, of course, but during improvisation what is going on? The answer to that is, everything. Everything is going on, including the interplay with other musicians and the physical skills of the artist, the audience, general mood, all of it. It's a strange brew.

Writing is like that. It's never as clear as the guide books would have it.
 

pmmg

Myth Weaver
I've been trying to experience what it's like to ride a dragon, talk to elves, dice with dwarves, fight an orc. No luck so far, so I guess I'll have to keep falling back on imagination.


Skip, you are just not trying hard enough, you have to leave the shire.


For me, inspiration comes from many sources, and at times some become more prominent than others. Three I can readily identify are 1) a reaction to things I see or go on around me. Such as stuff going on in our culture that I might react to, or want to show a different side of (I suppose I am a little counter culture in that regard), 2) To please my Muse. I have a muse and people I write for. I would like them to see that I did not let them down. And 3) because of other works that leave me with a feeling of 'I want to make things to', or 'I could have done that better' (for which the jury might not agree...)

Simply said, I read a lot of books and online articles to inspire myself to write better stories. However, does this method any better than actually involving yourself to experience those things (like e.g.: watching reenactments of historical events) instead? Or does this matter not at all? I would like to hear out your opinions on this, dear Scribes.

For this question, I suppose I would have to argue that going places in your mind, as you must do while reading, is not really the same as not having experienced it. Certainly on many levels it is. I suppose I have never flown on a dragon (cause no self respecting dragon would allow a rider...), but I can imagine pretty vividly what that must be like, so why fret it?

Unfortunately, I do have to argue that it does matter as well. Its one thing to think you know what its like to have bullets whizzing by, it totally different to have been in a shootout and experienced it. But not having experienced it would not keep me from writing it as best I could, and as best as I could conjure it up.

Somethings we just cant experience, but we are dynamic creatures with great gifts of figuring things out. I've no doubt that there are many things I have not experienced that I could write and come pretty close to the mark. I suppose it is all in for the trying, cause if I keep waiting for the experiences to inform me, I will have a lot of stuff on hold.
 
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TWErvin2

Auror
Places I have visited, people I have met or known, discussions, books read, movies watched, experiences enjoyed (or not so much enjoyed). All of those things inspire and contribute. Often it's a combination, such as a book read and a conversation had, mixed with a person or two I've met.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
We have gone around on the experience-go-round a few times here at the Scribes. It seems to come down to two camps: those who assert not just the desirability but even the need to experience certain things (weaponry, armor, horses are the big items) in order to describe them well, and those who disagree. Strong arguments have been made on both sides, leaving neither side persuaded.

Tangle Shine, rather than seeking an answer to the general question, why not focus on the specific? Is there some specific scene or character trait or setting that is troubling you? Then ask yourself what you can do to research that. Once you have done all you can do, then that is sufficient and don't worry about general principles.
 
My inspiration comes from just about everything. It doesn't need to be anything specific and I either run down that path or gnaw on it. It can be at work, if I see something in the parks or get an idea when in my truck. Or in video games, movies or Role Play games, tabletop or computer. Or a joke. Or just trying to look at something from a different point of view. It's all sorts of things and I never know when I'm going to be hit with it. And it's as likely to happen if I'm writing a story and want to look at other characters in it and go down that road. I figure it's just that.

It's inspiration. It hits at any time and for any reason.
 

Penpilot

Staff
Article Team
Simply said, I read a lot of books and online articles to inspire myself to write better stories. However, does this method any better than actually involving yourself to experience those things (like e.g.: watching reenactments of historical events) instead? Or does this matter not at all? I would like to hear out your opinions on this, dear Scribes.

In some ways yes. In some ways no.

Experiences contribute to the details and the "authenticity" of them. But there's more to storytelling than just getting the details right. I'm sure we've all heard the saying, "Never let facts get in the way of a good story."

Storytelling is in part the skill of taking the raw material, whether that material comes first hand or second or third or it's made up, and being able to weave it all into a compelling tale.

In some ways it's like a master chef vs. schlubby cook. A master chef can make a five star meal out of the simplest ingredients. A schlubby cook can turn the finest ingredients into a pile of char.
 
I do that, FifthView, but I try to turn that to advantage. If my little scurry brain comes up with an image and characteristics for say, pixies, everything is very much what has been done before.

So my next step is to ask what I can change. Writing is like that. It's never as clear as the guide books would have it.

Interesting process. I do more Low Fantasy so I tend to start with the rest, then ask how I can expand it to include the Speculative elements. For instance, this week I've been outlining a SciFi novella and I started with a concept of having a planet be very similar to Mexico ... and having the MC deal with issues with the local cartel when his brother is caught in smuggling ray-guns. As I was going through, I realized the thugs could be replaced with robots and I could tweak some elements here and there and so on. I write a lot of Realism though so that's just where I start.

Inspiration comes from everywhere which is why I've always thought its crucial for any creative person to constantly be seeking new experiences and expanding their horizons. If that means watching a random documentary every week to expose yourself to different world views, or watching a captioned movie from a country you know nothing about, or setting aside your anime and watching some telenovelas (or in my case, vice versa) ... then do it. If you can have new experiences in person (if that's a real, feasible option for you) - do it! Go see an opera. Watch the sun rise. Take a hike on a new trail. Try a new restaurant. Listen to some metal or jazz or beatnik poetry. Read something wildly outside of your comfort zone. Be human and enjoy it. Live life and inspiration comes at you faster and harder than you can imagine.

Reading in books is great. Experiencing it can be better, but it can also be costly and take much more time. I don't think either should be done mutually exclusively though. You need a balance of both (unless its concerning the things we can't do like talk to elves and ride dragons)
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
And anyway, inspiration is overrated. I just call it thinking of stuff. I've been stuck on a fight scene for weeks. I wrote about it, wrote around it, and finally tonight I think I've got 'er whupped. Inspiration is just another word for having ideas, except that it makes the process sound grander and more mysterious.

I'm a big believer in the ordinary.
 

Tom

Istar
I'm what you might call a scavenger. I find my ideas in things that are insignificant or incomplete. When I watch movies or read books I'm often looking for dropped plot threads or offhand mentions that were never expanded on. It's fun to toss these around and ask myself "what if?" as a way to gain inspiration. Old stories and myths are the best for this--a lot of them have fragmented over the centuries, and they have odd little tangents and interruptions that are intriguing to think about.

A lot of the time, when I'm reading/watching something a single word or phrase will jump out at me, evoking either an image or a sensation, and the more I think about it the more solid it becomes. I'll sometimes go for days without writing a new idea down, just giving it time to sit in my head, letting it develop more depth and nuance. It can be risky with my unreliable memory, though. :D
 

Blue

Acolyte
My inspiration comes originally from a dream (usually one I've had repeatedly) I then choose some music that gives me the same feel and try to recreate the dream. Now I really need another dream to tell me what comes next! ^_^
 
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