The question most often asked of authors is “Where do you get your ideas?” It’s the question we dread the most because there’s no simple answer. Or, rather, there is.
Everywhere.
Writer’s often talk about their muses. That little spark that gives us the brilliant idea for our next story, or to push us past a stumbling block in our current one. It can be anything or anyone. A headline from a newspaper article. A homeless person stumbling down the street. A mother-to-be waddling around a store picking out baby supplies. A line from a song/TV show/movie/book.
Our muse gives us the idea and we run with it. For instance, this morning, my husband read an article to me from the paper about a Dutch custom of taking children out to the woods at night and dropping them off for them to find their way back to camp. That sounds horrifying to me… and yet, it sparked an idea. One I’m going to add to my file of ideas for the next time I get stuck. For me… that article and my husband pointing it out, was my muse for the moment.
Muses are fickle, but if you’re careful, they’re all around you. You just have to look and listen. Be aware of everything and everyone.
So where do I get my ideas? From my muse…who is everywhere and everything.
Sparkling Book Reviews 