Inspiration

If you could see my "to read" pile right now you would raise your eyebrows and wish me luck. Truly. There are so many incredible books out there just begging to be read. So many different types of stories, so many characters.... where do we find the ideas from?

The book I'm working on right now, I have no idea where the inspiration came from. I was explaining the plot to my brother-in-law the other day and as he is a total sci-fi geek he was very excited to inform me my story had "very strong elements of sci-fi". No way, not true. Okay maybe a little true, but not intentionally! Honestly though, I have no idea where this particularly story idea came from. It wasn't a life event that gave me the idea, and it wasn't an image or a TV show or anything of the sort... I had one idea and it just developed from there.

In the past six months there have been a number of events that have triggered that little light bulb in my head to light up. The "this would be a great idea for a book" light bulb. Then there are the plans I'm making for the future which I can already tell would provide a great setting for a story.

So I wonder, where do you find your inspiration? Do you write books based on events of your life, or your friends lives or do you find something entirely and completely obscure and go from there?

Trapped in my imagination

I've started noticing lately that when I really think about my book, about the plot, the characters and where the book is heading, I get trapped in my imagination. It's almost like I leave planet earth and take a vacation inside my head. I've started calling it my writing coma. Honestly, my eyes glaze over and I don't notice anything that is going on around me and I just slip into this world of writing.

The weird thing is, I don't necessarily have to be sitting or lying down!

Take this morning for example. I was heading to town on the bus. Usually on my bus rides I get engrossed in a book. However on my walk to the bus stop I was thinking about my own WIP and the plot. I was thinking how it might progress and what conflict my main character may meet. When the bus arrived, I was too wrapped up in my imagination to even open my book.

I started telling the story in my head. It plays out like a movie that I can edit and rewrite at every twist and turn. The characters will just stand there and look at me, waiting for my direction of what they must do next. Meanwhile, in reality, I'm sitting with a goofy look on my face, eyes glazed and totally not on this planet..... so pretty much looking like a good portion of New Yorkers on the subway in the morning.......Oh how I miss New York.

It's a good way though to zone out of reality and try out some ideas for your story. I've actually been doing this for years, creating little stories in my head to zone out to.

Does anyone else do this, or is it just me.....!?