I bet you all thought I’d forgotten, didn’t you? I am a little preoccupied at the moment with the conclusion of Children of the Resolution, but Mike and I agree that it’s about time we got the ball rolling so, without further ado I’d like to announce our first group topic and introduce you to a new idea that Mike had.
Firstly, this month’s topic. After much consideration (okay, a little consideration) the title for our group piece will be My Fiction and Me. In it, each member should introduce the other group members to the kind of fiction they write or enjoy reading and explain a little about how it relates to them — why it inspires/drives them etc. This piece should be posted on July the first. I’m not sure how we’re going to link to each other’s posts, yet, but I’m sure we’ll work that one out as we go along. Maybe a follow-up piece from each of us will be required. We shall see.
Secondly, Mike hit on the idea of also having a monthly discussion — hosted on the blog of the member choosing the monthly topic. How it will work is very simple. The member in question announces the above-mentioned monthly topic and sets a date for the piece to be posted. In the same blog post, they also start a fiction-related discussion. The two should not really be directly related… that’d probably get a bit repetitive.
With this in mind, it’s probably best if I just get on with it. So, to reiterate, this month’s group topic is entitled My Fiction and Me and should be posted on July the first — and today’s discussion is…
Inspiration — Do You Find It, Or Does It Find You?
I’ve always found that inspiration comes at the strangest of times, at least with regard the “big ideas”. But I’m usually in a receptive frame of mind beforehand. I go looking, trying things on for size and generally doing my best to examine the everyday from a different angle. The inspiration for a new novel can be a simple thing like a spoken phrase, or a major world event — but it will seldom affect me whilst I’m working on another project… unless I’m nearing the end and consciously thinking about what I want to do next, as is now the case.
As far as the inspiration to write on a daily basis is concerned, I tend not to feel it’s a question of “inspiration” for me. I don’t wait for the muse to tap me on the shoulder and tell me to get on with it. If I did that, I’d probably never write single word. I write because it’s what I do. Unless I’m ill.
So what about you?
(Incidentally, if you’re not an Idiosyncratica member but would still like to contribute to this discussion, please feel free. I doubt anyone here will object.)
My inspiration seems to come randomly; it doesn’t need anything special to spark it off. Ideas and stories come to me at random, but in large chunks. Like sketch versions of the actual story; like I have a plot summary of the story and need to fill it in.
What about endings? Do yours come with the plot summary? I find I usually have to hunt mine down — and even if I have a fairly good idea of what I want it to be at outline stage, it quite often turns out very differently in the final draft of the novel itself.
Inspiration so rarely makes a cameo in my writing that I’ve learned not to count it. I am pushed by other things, such as drive. Writing is a necessity, an urge but that isn’t enough; work is needed. I’ll often shape something for months before it starts to make sense. Inspiration is that moment where it all comes together in an instant and the words just fall into place. Brilliant. But if I were to wait for it, I’d never finish a thing.
They do, usually, but it’s all in sketch format; it’s usually a faint outline version of what’s due to happen, and I have to fill in the actual colour and texture, which is the hard part…
BTW, Lottie says she’s seen the post and will reply as soon as possible; basically as soon as she gathers her thoughts, which at the moment are pretty widespread due to her recent heavy workload. She’s also been a bit under the weather.
kallioppe:
I like that. I know that feeling so well. It happened with me in an unusually big way with my novel The Realm of the Hungry Ghosts. The final sentence… everything else in the novel had built to it and I hadn’t even realised until I put the words down. It was like a key turning in a lock.
Mike: No problem regarding Lottie. I always know I can depend on her to drop by when it is convenient
I hope she’s feeling better soon, mate.
Just a thought about the sort of challenge we could set ourselves – have a look at this blog. I am thinking of joining up with that one but we could also do our own. (After all, I am in five photographic memes)
As for my own writing, I mainly write poetry and I need an image, an emotion to provide the inspiration – providing the correct vocabulary is serendipitously available. Or I need a filthy idea or crude pun to commit a limerick.
Now that, Archie, I like — the word challenge, I mean. It could be a lot of fun and I’m sure that some of those who are just starting out as writers will find it especially helpful. Maybe we can give the member choosing the monthly topic a choice of either doing an additional discussion (like my Inspiration one) or setting a word challenge. What do you think?
I still enjoy the phrase “to commit a limerick”! So apt
There was a young man from Calcutta,
Who stopped for a piss in the gutter,
He tripped on a cobble,
And started to wobble,
And awoke with the cough and splutter.
Sorry I’m late.
This might sound weird, but inspiration often comes when I wake up in the middle of the night or wee hours of the morning and can’t get back to sleep (which happens quite often). It also comes while I’m in the shower. I do some of my best thinking during those times. I’m not sure if it finds me or vice versa, though. I just suddenly find myself “there”. And it’s so relaxing.
Not sure why it comes during those particular times. Maybe because there’s nothing else to drown it out? Hey, at least my insomnia is good for something.
Nothing sounds weird when it comes to writing and how/why we do it, Lottie! I’ve had those middle of the night epiphanies and Bath time Eureka! moments, too. It’s as satisfying as solving a difficult puzzle, isn’t it? I love it, I really do.
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Ok I am writing up the first task, I am proud to be in this blog ring. Thanks for the chance to be in it.
It’s good to have you on board, Damian. You have some excellent insights into writing and I consider you an important member of the group, mate. I’m just off out, but will drop by everyone’s sites later today to read their topic posts. Yours included, of course. Looking forward to it.
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