Writing: Inspiration, etc (basically, I'm bored)

[MistyRocks]

Well, since we never seem to get into any kinda discussions here I figured I'd start rambling for a bit and see if other people start talking. Alright, so there's the talk about books we've read and books vs movies, but quiet, I'm bored and have nothin to do for the next 3hours!

Anyway, I was just mucking bout on iTunes listening to my music, killing time etc, then got thinking about songfics (I don't know where it came from, I really don't...). And it got me thinking about inspiration for writing and all that. Sometimes I hear a song and it really appeals to me, really makes me wanna write though not necessarily but the story to the lyrics.

OBVIOUSLY, in the case of songfics, the stories are inspired by a song. But I'm just curious what inspires people to write. Like would you be watching tv and see an interesting scenario on a show that you'd wanna put you're own spin on? I'm partly curious cuz I haven't written anything in a few months (exam repeats/death/relatives untimely visits/etc) and I could do with some ideas for inspiration.

Oh, another thought: when you do sit down to write, where do you do it? Like do sit down at the computer and start typing? Does it have to be quiet or do you prefer background noise, like music?

I wanna see chatting and I wanna see it now. Or at least humour me for a bit

 

[BookThrower]

I never writing a fanfic but I always wanted to but never got the story going. I think a story starts out by a small thought then you start putting ideas togther.I will write my fic in a quiet room to collect my thoughts on how to start and make it good.=] hope what I said helps in some ways.

 

[Evil Raichu]

Just about anything can inspire me. Movies, TV, music, manga(especially Fruits Basket ^o^)...and even my dog. Yes, I know the last one's weird, but she's like magic or something. I can sit down at the computer with my dog in my lap and start typing up a storm. The ideas just start flowing. But then...if she gets tired or bored and jumps down, then it's instant writers block. XD I have a magic puppy!!!

Also, when I type, I prefer to have the radio on in the background. But it has to be on either the Oldies station or the Classical Music station or I can't work. ^^;

 

[MistyRocks]

Cool, a magic dog that helps you write! If she ever has puppies send one of them my way!

Also, how come oldies or classical music? is that your prefered type of music or do you only listen to that stuff when you're writing?

When i actually do write i sit down with my favourite bands playin away. I like to have somethin to distract me when i write, so if i pause and can't get back into it I can take my mind off it for a moment and not be left sittin in front of the screen goin 'uhhh...'

 

[GrnMarvl14]

This week I've been marginally inspired by way too many things. By "way too many," I mean that the ideas I get are conflicting with each other and it's like a battle for writing dominance in my head.

Inspired me:
1. The Killers "All These Things That I've Done" keeps trying to put something into my head.
2. The video for that same song brought up some weird Trigun-ish...thing.
3. I saw an episode of Firefly and realized that there's an entire faction of sci-fi I never considered.
4. Yu-Gi-Oh this morning inspired some weird Atlantis-as-Eden idea. With Adam and Eve as some of the survivors of a great catastrophe.

Usually songs are the biggest source of inspiration. Largely they just bring something out in me. The right song can funnel out the best stories. It's just hard to find the right song.

 

[Evil Raichu]

Cool, a magic dog that helps you write! If she ever has puppies send one of them my way!

Also, how come oldies or classical music? is that your prefered type of music or do you only listen to that stuff when you're writing?

When i actually do write i sit down with my favourite bands playin away. I like to have somethin to distract me when i write, so if i pause and can't get back into it I can take my mind off it for a moment and not be left sittin in front of the screen goin 'uhhh...'

Lol, I'd be glad to send you her puppies...but she was spayed a long time ago. ^^; Heh... she's on my lap right now! Yay!

I don't know why it has to be oldies or classical...usually, I'll listen to just about anything, oldies and classical included, but it seems that I can only right with one of the two playing if I have music on. Some of my usual favorite bands (Yellowcard! XD) just don't do it for my inspirational needs. For some reason.

 

[Strawberry Delcatty]

I'm inspired by basically a lot of things like anime and video games, but overtime those inspirations seem to die down.

 

[Cferra]

For my story I'm working on now, I find certain songs work for certain chapters and I have iTunes on and listen to stuff like the soundtracks from the Spidey and FF (Fantastic Four) movies. So, it's basically that and these songs:

In General:

Save Me-Remy Zero
Drops from Jupiter-Train (for some reason that works)
Hero-Chad Kroger
Everything to Everyone-Everclear
Changers-Butterfly Boucher and David Bowe
Right Now-John Cena

Great for romance scenes:

Because you Live: Jesse McCartney
Blessed: Christina Aguilera
Accidentially in Love: Counting Crows
Beautiful Soul: Jesse McCartney

Great for action secenes:

Come on, Come in-Velvet Revolver
The Modern Age-The Strokes
What We're all About-Sum 41

Just Hangin' around:

I'll be there for you-Rembrandts
Faith of the Heart-Russel Watson

Sad scenes:

Perfect: Simple Plan


Several other songs inspire me too but it's mostly comics: Trade paperbacks, the regular kind novels of the heroes. They inspire me the most as well as a little Star Trek and general Scifi. Basically it's mostly Marvel Comics inspiring me as their heroes have heart, faults and generally more real.

LX

 

[MistyRocks]

Ledian_X: You're choice of songs is actually pretty interesting, like it's well suited to your type of fic. I've read some of it I think. It's called Starbolts *somethin*. It's the one with the Aquans (I think, sorry, terrible memory!), isn't it?

I'm liking the idea that a certain type of song inspires a certain type of scene/fic.

Evil Azurill, I totally get you on how you're favourite bands sometimes just don't inspire you on the writing front! Sometimes I get a ton of ideas off a band I'd never pay any attention to normally, whereas I can listen to one of my favourite bands and... nothing, zip, not a single idea!

Strawberry Delcatty, what do you mean you're inspirations die down? Do you not follow through with them?

GrnMarvl13: That 4th idea, the Atlantis-as-Eden one would actually be really interesting to do. Actually, if you do attempt it I'd really love to read it

 

[Cferra]

Yeah the story's called Starbolts: New Beginnings. And Aquans it is! As you've read it's scifi and bit of what I do best which are superheroes. Not just classic Golden Age ones with little to no personality. These are kind of like the heroes of the modern age ushered by Fantastic Four #1, 1961 when heroes began to have heart, soul and realism. I've read comics all my life and they and music like that inspires me.

If there was a movie, you can bet those songs would be in the background or blaring on the radio as the 'Bolts hung out or something. The music changed as the teens are now young adults learning about their powers and each other.

LX

P.S. Other songs that work for me are:

Kids in America by No Secrets
This Fire by Franz Ferdinand
Surrender by Simple Plan
Save the Day by Train
True to your Heat by 98 Degrees

 

[The Big Al]

My current work was inspired by several things. They ranged from ideas in my head, to tv shows, to current events.

 

[Barb]

My story ideas almost always begin with two words: "what if...?" and then I try to fill in the blanks that follow. Sometimes, I just want to write about certain characters and I try to come up with plausible ways for them to interact (especially if they've never met in whatever anime/movie/tv show canon I'm writing about). I love to listen to music when I write and I tend to listen to James Taylor or Neil Young.

I've only written one songfic, "Unforgiven," which I removed from FFN due to their rules and posted here, only without the lyrics.

 

[Strawberry Delcatty]

Strawberry Delcatty, what do you mean you're inspirations die down? Do you not follow through with them?

That's pretty much accurate.

 

[MistyRocks]

On a completely unrelated note to everything, i am going to see Sleater-Kinney tomorrow night and I absolutely cannot wait!

I don't care if it's not appropriate to write this here. I had to say something cuz I absolutely LOVE that band. They're fantastic. And screw rules bout staying on topic! (yeah, setting bad example BLAH BLAH BLAH)

And I realise I haven't been around or responding to this topic (which I realise I started) but it's a loooong story. Besides I merely started this topic so you folk could have an excuse to talk to each other. Jesus! don't all talk at once like!

That is all.

except - woo sleater-kinney woo!

 

[Barb]

You should write a songfic using one of their songs.

 

[MistyRocks]

yeah actually, i should. Now there's an idea... haha, can't believe i didn't think of that before!

 

[Misty]

Inspirational ideas hit me kind of randomly, but on closer inspection I can usually guess where they come from. My current (unwritten, because I suck) fic was originally inspired by Final Fantasy 7. After that, I just sort of let it grow from there. Music is a big help in giving me the right mood for certain scenes.

 

[Barb]

I agree with MistyIRC about the 'random' part. When the muse is working, I write. When she isn't (like right now), I read as much as possible and hope that an idea stirs the storyteller in me.