INSPIRATION

Where does a writer find inspiration? Does it come whispering down from the heavens on the wings of a Muse? Does it strike the consciousness like a bolt of lightning? Bam! Inspired!

Hardly.

Inspiration comes when you least expect it. Usually when you don’t have anything to write it down with. I can’t guess the number of times a wonderful idea for a story or scene occurred to me out of the ether only to disappear back into it for lack of a way to record it. There’s a line in the play Into the Woods which states, “Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor.” Sometimes, I feel the same about inspiration. You go from “Wow! What a great idea,” to “What was that again?” in a matter of moments.

A method I like to use is the but what if game to kick start the inspiration process. You start with a premise. Say, boy meets girl. Then proceed to ask – but what if? Like what if there is a good reason they can’t be together? Maybe she’s married. Or dying. Or so focused on her career she doesn’t notice him. These are all pretty standard stuff. To be more original, the what if has to be something unexpected.

But what if…she’s dead when they meet. Now that’s different. Where could I go with this?

But what if…she’s the woman who put him up for adoption when he was born? Ooooo. Angst galore.

But what if…she’s from the past and must return or die?

But what if…he’s her commanding officer and has to send her on a suicide mission to save the world.

I’ve used but what if on many of my stories. Hopefully making them different in a good way.