Sunday, January 13, 2008

And where does it all come from?

While my unbelievably saint-like betas have project 2 yet AGAIN, I've been pondering which project I want to work on next. And Theo has suggested that I chat a little about where I get my inspirations.

And honestly, I get inspirations in weird places. For example, take project 5 (which isn't even listed, because right now it's only a premise, not a plot). The sole inspiration for that one came from a song by Loreena McKinnett titled "Stolen Child". (which, in turn, was originally a poem by William Butler Yeats)

The now defunct project one also took its inspiration from song, in this case, "Seven Deadly Sins" by Flogging Molly. I heard the word "avarice" in the lyrics and thought, y'know, that'd make a great name for a pirate ship, and it went from there.

I find inspiration in random comments from friends (Gita made some flip comment once that grew into an idea about two patients in a mental hospital and...never wrote it, but it was a cool idea). I dreamed up an entire world once, because there was a mist across my college quad one night that was just downright eerie.

There are times when I just sit and try to think of things I haven't seen before. A new take on an old standard, or something just totally bizarre and off the wall. Could I make it work? Who knows? I just like the brainstorming.

Anything can be an inspiration. A dream, a shadow, a certain tree in your back yard. (the sycamore out there right now is giving me a look, I just know it is)

Sometimes, it makes me dream up a person, and then I have to figure out where they belong. Sometimes, it gives birth to an entire world, and then I have to figure out who lives there. Either way, I love my random inspirations, and I've learned to write them down. Not only the idea, but what sparked the idea. With a photographic memory, I can usually revisit that moment as often as I want, to get the feel of that moment again. I may not use it right now. I may not use it ever. But I'll always have it, in case the perfect occasion presents itself.

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