Thursday, July 30, 2009

Cross Inspiration


Quote of the Day:
You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.
~ Jack London

So, I was working on my non-fiction over the weekend, writing a sestina (for the chapter on sestinas, naturally) and the poem I was working on gave me what I think could be a cool idea for an Urban Fantasy. On the one hand, I'm thinking "Ooo, cool, another idea!" And on the other hand, I'm thinking "Oh crap, another idea." Hehe...I love it when the ideas get backlogged.

In any case, it got me thinking how many times this cross inspiration thing has happened. And I realized that it happens a lot. In fact, most of my ideas come from cross inspiration.

A lot of my ideas come from when I am researching details for something else. For instance, while researching goddesses for my current YA, I came across an obscure goddess that would be really fun to write about = new entry in the idea file.

Then there have been a few like the one I just had...when something I am writing sparks an idea for something else. A couple times, it has been an idea for a spin off book on some of the secondary characters. Or like this poem...it would be awesome expanded into a short story or novel.

How about everyone else? Do you ever experience cross inspiration? What kinds of things have you come across that spark ideas for something else?

10 comments:

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Oh most definitely. That's what I love about the human brain--the way it can see possibilities, chase after butterflies, pluck something new out of nowhere.

Unknown said...

Oh my! Isn't this how it happens? The cross pollination of ideas?

Last night my husband was going through some old jewelry his mother gave him. One was a charm, a gold fish that moved. All of a sudden, a chapter that I couldn't figure out how to write at the end of my WIP came to life!

Great Post!

Jamie D. said...

All the time. It's almost magical to me, though my family claims it's just my overactive brain. Whatever it is, it works! One thing I'll never run out of is new ideas.

Sarah Jensen said...

That happens often.

That and dreams.

And like you, I have tons of ideas that have to sit on a back burner. I have a WIP folder for these ideas.

:)

Joyce Wolfley said...

Oh yeah. I try to write the details of the idea down and put it in the future project pile. I figure eventually it will come down to combining a couple for a super-charged idea. :)

Unknown said...

Cross inspiration is the best! I keep a little notepad & pen with me at all times to scribble it down. Love the quote today!

Mahmood Syed Faheem said...

Nice quote. Your blog is very nice. The images are very beautiful. God is Great. Best wishes.

http://www.thedynamicnature.com

ali cross said...

Hi MIchelle :) Hope you don't mind me dropping by ... I found your blog through ElanaJ (thanks Elana!)

I get cross inspiration too ... but I can't think just now of specific examples, lol. But like you, I have a backlog of ideas and I love it!

It's comforting to know there's more yet to come ... more stories to write, ya know?

Michelle McLean said...

Ah yes. I love my idea file. And my dreams. And my overactive brain :D Couldn't live without them!

Thanks everyone for stopping by! I love knowing I'm not alone in this crazy little writing world of ours ;-D

batsick said...

My ideas randomly come from certain words that trigger some sort of writing prompt inside my head like 'poison', 'dark forest', 'muse' or 'cat'. I am also looking for follwers of my blog. Could you please visit and comment on some of my posts at http://inkladendiary.blogspot.com/ ? Thanks. I'm a writer too, so I'm trying to get my voice heard. Please follow if you like!