Hello, everyone! This is my first blog entry at NN.
I have a question to pose. Is inspiration like a lightning strike or the slow burn of a candle. Or maybe the sputtering of a dying fire? For me, it can be all three, though I much prefer to have the blazing fire to the left.
Sometimes I’ll know exactly where an idea fits into a story, which then opens up whole new avenues I never considered--but love. You know the picture of this: a flurry of writing that leaves you smiling in contented accomplishment after your mad scribbling (or typing) ends for the day. Everything is bright, and shiny, and oh-so-clear.
Other times, my inspiration fizzles after a ‘great’ idea, leaving me with no clue as where to go next. Every word, every thought, has to be tugged out of me. At times like these, I can’t shake the feeling something is ‘off’ in my story, but what? It’s a niggling intuition that drives me nuts, made worse by the fact I can never quite put my finger on the problem. Does this mean my idea was bad? Not necessarily, but more than likely my lovely new plot point does need some tweaking. Back to the drawing board I go.
Sometimes I’ll know exactly where an idea fits into a story, which then opens up whole new avenues I never considered--but love. You know the picture of this: a flurry of writing that leaves you smiling in contented accomplishment after your mad scribbling (or typing) ends for the day. Everything is bright, and shiny, and oh-so-clear.
Other times, my inspiration fizzles after a ‘great’ idea, leaving me with no clue as where to go next. Every word, every thought, has to be tugged out of me. At times like these, I can’t shake the feeling something is ‘off’ in my story, but what? It’s a niggling intuition that drives me nuts, made worse by the fact I can never quite put my finger on the problem. Does this mean my idea was bad? Not necessarily, but more than likely my lovely new plot point does need some tweaking. Back to the drawing board I go.
But inspiration often hits me in a more subdued manner, though, neither dazzling me with its brilliant light, or threatening to leave me teetering in the darkness. Words, paragraphs, and scenes slowly arrange themselves into a chapter. But I have to stop now and then to reevaluate if I’m still on the right track. Many times I am, but if I’m not, that same annoying intuition perks up.
I often wonder where writers find their ‘inspired moments.’ Standing in line at the grocery, walking the dog, or maybe through dreams? Do these ideas burn through their authors with the roar of a forest fire, inciting exhilaration and a need to get it on paper right now? Or is there a brief flash of insight and then…nothing? The sound of the music from an ice cream truck driving through the neighborhood can cause a whole new scene to pop into my head, while the most romantic of love songs does nothing for my creative muse.
Inspiration is my fickle friend, one that comes and goes at it pleases. Whenever this fair-weather visitor strikes, I know I better take advantage of it while it's burning steadily.
Some ideas start out slowly, only gaining momentum as we flesh them out--or fizzle away when we can’t quite see how they jibe with the rest of the story. Some arrive fully formed, as though inserted into our brains by some artificial intelligence or higher power. But however they come or leave, they have the power to add dimension to our stories.
What are your story inspirations?
Lisa Kumar
Fire: Image: xedos4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Smoking Candle: Image: Marcus74id / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Candle Flame: Image: Paul Brentnall / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
