Where do stories come from?
March 10, 2025 by Tari Jewett in category Writing tagged as Anne Rice, inspiration, story origin, writingDo you ever read a book or watch a movie and wonder, what made the writer write that story? Is it all imagination? Did the story just come to them? Did they ‘what if’ a plot? Or did they live the story?
So where do stories come from?
The only fiction Hunky Hubby reads is what I write, and he reads every word I write, which amazes me and makes me thankful. Anyway, years and YEARS ago, he’d been listening to the radio and the dj’s were talking about Anne Rice’s The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy, written under the name A.N. Roquelaure. The steamy on air conversation, led him to believe that buying the book for me, might be romantic. He said romantic, but I’m pretty sure he really thought it would ‘get me in the mood’.
Hahaha, well, I’m not sure that book is what I’d call romantic, nor is it a book that would ‘get me in the mood’ but it made me wonder about the author. At the time, I had no idea that it was actually written by Anne Rice, not that it would have made any difference, because I didn’t read vampire books anyway. I had a hard time with the book. Brilliantly written, but also shocking and even bizarre, I’d read a little, put it aside, wondering where these thoughts might come from, then, come back days later to read a little more.
Eventually, I went to the bookstore…because I didn’t have the internet back then, and tried to find other books by A.N. Roquelaure. I discovered who she was, and that she also wrote under the name Anne Rampling. I read Belinda, followed by A Cry to Heaven, and finally, Interview with a Vampire. None of this helped resolve my issue of where these thoughts came from. They were, however, compelling reading.
At that time, I wrote nonfiction. I wrote a cooking column for our local newspaper and Quick ‘N Easy Country Cooking magazine, as well as articles on parenting (I wouldn’t do that now!), consumer law, public speaking, and various other topics. I wrote fiction for fun, for myself.
But that changed.
I started writing fiction seriously. My published books are all romcoms. And if you’re looking for a romantic read for St. Patrick’s Day, I hope you’ll check out #SilverBracelets. But I’m also working on women’s fiction. Writing fiction, brought me back to that question. Where do stories come from?
The answer seems to be it depends on the writer. Some people plot out their stories, selecting characters, places, and carefully planning plotlines, you may already know that these writers are called plotters. Other people let the story unfold as they write it, aka pantsers. And I’d be willing to bet that for most writers, real life at least inspires scenes and characters in their stories.
I personally call myself a plotsy pantser, because I write my first draft as a pantser, letting the characters tell me their stories while I document them. Then, I use that first draft as my outline, and go back and flesh out the story, filling in gaps and hopefully, adding scenes, and hopefully, developing the story into something others might want to read. And yes, while my characters are fictional sometimes people that I’ve known influence their personalities, and real life events often end up in my stories.
Real life in my writing.
In #SilverBracelets, the hero, Benny’s grandmother is inspired by my Tia Tonia, in fact, I didn’t try to hide it, giving her the name Antonia. I didn’t plan this. The Antonia in the story is fictional, but her personality, is inspired by my beloved great Aunt.
In Love and Mud Puddles, one of my favorite scenes is at the beginning of the book. The main character is on a quest to learn to bake cookies for Christmas. She finds a recipe that calls for packed brown sugar. At the grocery store with her best friend they look for packed brown sugar. They find golden brown sugar, dark brown sugar…everything but packed brown sugar. This is of course where they meet the hero, who explains to them what packed brown sugar is. This scene was inspired by a real-life event. Years ago, a good friend, who didn’t bake, asked for a cookie recipe. I gave it to her. A couple of days later I got a frantic phone call from the grocery store, asking if she could substitute another kind of brown sugar for packed brown sugar because she couldn’t find any. I’ll leave her unnamed to protect her identity!
And while the real-life inspiration in my romcoms is from the lighter side of my life, there have been some darker situations that inspired situations in my women’s fiction.
So, the truth is that stories come from different places. They come from imagination, they come from experience, they come from plotting what ifs. And it doesn’t really matter where the story comes from if it engages the reader. If it makes us think or act. If it makes us wonder.
There have been many books over the years that have made me want to know more about the author. Books that have made me want another story to read. Books that have made me want to write. Books that have changed who I am. I’ll always be curious about the origins of a good book, but what really matters to me, is that there’s another book on the shelf to read.
4 0 Read moreWhat Inspires And Influences My Writing?
February 12, 2025 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as Denise M. Colby, Influences, inspiration, writers lifeI recently presented on the topic of being a published author to a group of high-schoolers at a career day event. Asked where my inspiration for my writing comes from, I didn’t have a clear-cut answer. And that made me realize I needed to pay attention to what inspires and influences my writing.
What I did tell them was read. Read, read, read. And read in the genre that you want to write in.
And that part is true.
When I read a story that I absolutely love, I’m encouraged to write a story that I would love.
At least that is what I’m finding as I’m on deadline for book number three. Since I haven’t been reading as much, I believe that is impacting my motivation. And so I went back to one of my favorite authors and started her new series, which has been in my TBR pile for a while now. I’m finding it helping to give me inspiration as I write.
What am I reading? Karen Witemeyer’s Ever After Series
But back to the original question from the high-schoolers. What inspires and influences what I write? What else could I have said to pass on inspiration to this younger generation of writers?
I think it’s going to take some time to fully create a concise answer, but I have a clearer idea now.
What inspires me to write the genre I’ve chosen?
I write historical romance. I love to read this genre, too. But where did that love of this genre come from? Why did I decide to include a one-room schoolhouse (I do know this one – and I wrote a blog about it titled: It’s the One-Room Schoolhouse’s Fault).
But other than that I haven’t thought about this at all, really, it’s just what I enjoy.
And I’ve always been fascinated with history. I have a long, rich family history in my home town, that I love to research. My great, great, great grandfather was a mountain man (imagine finding a mention of him in Misty M. Beller’s book The Lady and the Mountain Man. Which I wrote about in another blog post called Finding Family Mentioned in A Novel.
Anyway, as you can see, many of these things have shaped my writing. And then I was in the check-out line at CVS this past weekend. And I bought this.
The influence of my childhood favorites in my writing
I had a review mention that my stories had a Little House on the Prairie vibe to it.
There was a good reason.
I grew up watching this show and reading the Little House books (I’ve read them all). Those and Janette Oke’s Love Comes Softly and When Calls the Heart Series have inspired and influenced my writing even though I didn’t really realize it until recently. (interesting note: all had one-room schoolhouse’s in them).
So before I started writing this post, I brewed some tea and started to read through the magazine. I’m not even a few pages in and multiple thoughts are popping up in my brain. There’s a difference between real life and fiction. Actors and their experiences versus what their characters express in a story (move, tv, theater, book). Which is sort of what reading a book does. Escape into a different reality.
As a young girl, I had no idea about what an actor was. And it didn’t matter to me. I grew up watching Melissa Gilbert play Laura. I grew up seeing Laura as a girl near the same age as me experiencing all the emotions life brings out of us. And watching her pa encourage her, and have faith in her. Which encouraged me.
Isn’t this what our stories are about? Writing worlds and characters our readers can relate to and enjoy and want to be friends with. A chance to be encouraged, inspired, and loved on when taking a break from the real world with a good book.
It’s a good reminder as I finish this post and jump back to the next scene in my manuscript.
A few final thoughts on characters from stories we love
One of the things I have learned about myself is that I like to immense myself into my storyworld and feel all the feels, and write as if I’m the character I’m writing. I think this is why I love to have my characters write their own story a bit. They are real to me. Just like the characters in the books from Laura Ingalls Wilder inspire and influence my writing as well.
I’m glad I bought the magazine. I normally don’t. But I was looking for some extra encouragement and motivation. What I found was a reminder of what’s inside of me and where that came from. Now I need to figure out how to channel it to finish my story.
Do you know what inspires you and your writing?
Is there a specific book or show that resonated with you or that you pull from when you write?
Is there a genre of shows that influenced what you read and write?
0 0 Read moreMy Dad’s Super Power
June 22, 2024 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as Craft, inspiration
My father always said, “Know who you are. In whatever you do, do your best.” By his hard work and example, he instilled in me the importance of integrity and quality. This makes me scrutinize everything I say and write (sometimes to excess). But also causes me to dig a little deeper and write from the heart which makes for a satisfying journey.
When I showed interest in wearing makeup, he made me feel beautiful and confident without it. In his own special way, he taught me that natural and simple is best. So writing, I find, is like learning how to dress and color coordinate. You develop your own style. Mix and match colors to accentuate. Create different looks depending on the season and occasion. Dress to impress or just to chill out. And when you meet a special someone…dress to be “effective.” You want your writing to stand out, but not overwhelm. That would be like wearing too much makeup. Picture the character, Mimi, on the Drew Carey show, or the sea witch, Ursula, in Disney’s, The Little Mermaid.
“Be original. Be creative,” said dad. “And above all, when you speak, don’t ramble.” By which he meant that if someone asks the time, don’t explain how a clock is made. (That’s when I edit, edit, edit).
Many writers speak of having a muse, but I find that although my father is long gone from this world, the words and teachings which he wove into my being continue to guide and inspire me. This leads me to conclude that my dad had a super power: Words.
I hope I have inherited it.
See you next time on July 22nd.
Veronica Jorge
For all you’ve taught me, dad, this one’s for you.
Poetry Lesson: A metered approach to writing prose
June 13, 2024 by Bethlehem Writers Group in category From a Cabin in the Woods by Members of Bethlehem Writers Group tagged as inspiration, poetry, prose, writing
At a recent writers conference (the Write Stuff in Bethlehem, PA) keynote speaker Jonathan Maberry shared that he reads poetry for 30 minutes every day. He does it, he said, because it helps inspire his prose.
I have a fair amount of poetry on my shelves, and I do enjoy reading it, but I don’t read it every day. (I don’t write poetry; or rather, the poetry I write is best not shared with anyone.)
But Maberry has a point: Poetry can tell a story, illuminate a concept, or create a mood with a minimum of words—each word chosen by the poet because it’s exactly the right one. And that approach can inspire our writing of prose, because honing language is also what we strive for when we revise and polish our manuscripts.
I went to my poetry bookshelf and randomly pulled several volumes:
- Paul Muldoon, Horse Latitudes
- Sharon Olds, Strike Sparks
- Billy Collins, Nine Horses
- Mary Oliver, Why I Wake Early
- Natalie Diaz, Postcolonial Love Poem
- Sarah Arvio, Visits from the Seventh
For this exercise, I skipped over my book of Shakespeare sonnets and any poetry anthologies, as well as the two books of poetry I’m currently reading: Life on Mars by Tracy K. Smith and The Best of It by Kay Ryan.
I’ll share a snippet from the poets listed above and what struck me about their passages.
From Mary Oliver’s “Snow Geese” (breathtaking visual image)
One fall day I heard / above me, and above the sting of the wind, a sound / I did not know and my look shot upward; it was / a flock of snow geese winging it / faster than the ones we usually see, / and, being the color of snow, catching the sun / so they were, in part at least, golden
From Natalie Diaz’s “The First Water Is the Body” (depth of the soul)
We must go until we smell the black root-wet anchoring the river’s mud banks. We must go beyond beyond to a place where we have never been the center, where there is no center—beyond, toward what does not need us yet makes us.
From Sharon Olds’ “The Promise” (interesting juxtaposition of opposing elements)
With the second drink, at the restaurant, / holding hands on the bare table, / we are at it again, renewing our promise / to kill each other.
From Sarah Arvio’s “Malice” (superb characterization)
An ever-so-alluring deceiver / is the one who tells you your every dream / as though it were the truth of the future; / meanwhile there you stand in a wash of sweat, / your hopes lifted high only to be dashed.
From Paul Muldoon’s “The Old Country” (clever wordplay)
Every malt was a single malt. / Every pillar was a pillar of salt. / Every point was a point of no return.
From Billy Collins’ “Absence” (metaphorical excellence)
This morning as low clouds / skidded over the spires of the city / I found next to a bench / in a park an ivory chess piece— / the white knight as it turned out— / and in the pigeon-ruffling wind / I wondered where all the others were, / lined up somewhere / on their red and black squares, / many of them feeling uneasy / about the saltshaker / that was taking his place
I came away from this exercise re-energized to dip into poetry regularly—most likely not every day, but perhaps weekly, when I’m staring at my screen, wondering how to dig myself out of the writing hole I’ve created. A poetry break may help provide just the shovel or pick axe I need.
What poets do you read? How have they influenced your writing?
Dianna Sinovic
Certified Book Coach, Editor, Author
Anthology contributor: That Darkened Doorstep, An Element of Mystery
Blog contributor: A Slice of Orange
Member: Sisters in Crime, Horror Writers Association, Bethlehem Writers Group
Diasin Books LLC
www.dianna-sinovic.com
“Art is fire plus algebra.”
– Jorge Luis Borges
From The Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC
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How To Create A Great Work Area for Inspiration
July 8, 2023 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed, Writing tagged as getting creative, inspiration, Tracy Reed, Work space, writing
I was stumped for something to write this month. I skimmed my computer for inspiration. I stumbled upon the blog tour for my first published book. I forgot about this tour. Side note, next December will mark ten years of indie publishing for me.
I found an interesting blog post I wanted to share.
How To Create an Inspiring Work Area…this is something I’ve been dealing with for a quite a while. I have attempted to set up my work area and each time I start, I get distracted. It’s not like I have a huge space. I converted a nook in my house. But there are few things I consider necessities to creating an inspiring space.
Here’s my list of Inspiring Work Space Necessities:
A good scented candle – Surround yourself in a nice calm, relaxing scent. It will clear your mind and free up the path for ideas.
Non-traditional office or desk accessories – use old candle holders for pens, paper and binder clips and rubber bands. Cover cardboard boxes in luxe wallpaper. Use small gift boxes for post it notes and scratch paper.
Colorful notebooks and binders – I buy generic notebooks and binders and then cover them in luxe wrapping paper or fabric swatches. I want everything to be coordinated and pretty.
Encouraging Quotes and Verses – Simply print out quotes or verses that are motivational to you and post them to the wall next to your computer. This way, when you feel a little overwhelmed, you can repeat your motivating words.
Water bottle or glass – This is crucial. I’m guilty of not drinking enough water. In an attempt to drink more, I bought a cool “BKr” water bottle. It’s glass and comes with a colorful rubber sleeve. Mine is the pink 16oz size. I keep it next to my computer. Sometimes, I’ll set the timer for every hour, reminding me to drink. You can do the same thing with a pretty glass.
Fancy coffee or tea cup – Like most writers, I start my day with coffee or tea. Whatever your preference, treat yourself to a fancy cup and saucer and place it on your desk. Drinking out of a fancy cup and saucer, makes reading your email a lot less painful. Not to mention, a great cup of coffee or tea is good for clearing out the mind clutter.
Music, Music, Music – I make playlists for my books. When I’m stuck, I head over to iTunes and hit a one of my playlists or I search for new artists that inspire or relax me.
Flowers – I have yet to incorporate this, but it’s on my list for this year. I want to pretty up my desk to the next level with my favorite fresh flowers.
In my new work space, I have a small bookcase with copies of my books, a few business books, fun accessories and a vintage desk chair. To make the space more relaxing to the eye, I covered the wall in black and white stripe wallpaper. I still need an over head.
I think once I get my work space completely decorated, I’ll be even more productive.
Some of Tracy’s Books
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