Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     On a writer's good day he/she can give advice to fellow writers if asked to.  Because the writer is up to beat that day, recieving many ideas, the ideas coming to him can quickly come to life in words.  If you can do this, or have helped someone in this way, it's no wonder the day you can't write becomes "a dying day".  Frustrated and eager minds quickly label failures in this way.  So, I'll bet you want someone like you on those days.  But why not have you.


     On those good days take some time after you write or on breaks to give a quick note on what motivated, inspired, or helped you write.  Then on the bad days, open up this note and read for yourself some helpful tips on what can get you going.  After all, who is better to help you than yourself.  You know what to warn yourself of and how to get that mind of yours going.  The pure feeling of opening the note can give you the inspiration you need, as you remember how good it felt to write on that good day of yours.

What Inspires the Writer In Me- Horror Genres Continued

Horror Genres enlighten on one of our favorite senses to feed on...FEAR.  What makes you scared, will make it interesting.  What inspires the writer in me to write a horror book is when I think of what makes me afraid.  What makes me afraid the most is when I realize I can get hurt.  Even those that seem to be fearless seem to get a little scared when they know that they can get hurt.  It would certainly hurt if you fell off of a building, or to came face to face with a killer clown.  I think of these things when I want to be inspired to write horror genres.  What would be one of the most fearful things for me is to come face to face with a killer clown.  That is what works for me!

What Inspires the Writer In Me- Action Genres Continued

Action genres are so fun.  They provide a way to get the reader on the edge of their seat nonstop.  I think the writer experiences just as much when they are writing this as the reader does, if not more!  I love to be inspired by these genres.  Something that inspires me to write an action book the most would be things that I would find very difficult to do.  Of course, finding a bomb and disabling it would be a very hard and stressful situation to be in.  Trying to stop a train before it heads towards a broken bridge would be another.  These situations would inspire me to be able to write an action book that would keep my readers on the edge of their seat.  Naturally my character would be doing all of the work and risk all of the danger.  Something I could live with.

What Inspires the Writer In Me- Short Stories

How do we know whether we are going to write a short story, novella, or a novel?  As writers I think we get a feeling.  Something inspires us.  I like to write short stories.  What inspires me to write them are situations that I could put myself in for a moment.  Kind of like a short break.  Maybe a moment to drink a cup of coffee, or a walk in the park.  A story that centers on something like this that gives the reader a break is my idea of a short story.  I also get inspired when I think of situations that center on emotion.  I focus on a specific emotion of anger, sadness, happiness, or fear.  These are situations that I can put myself in as well.  Writing about a happy situation would be a kid that lost a tooth, or  winning a sports game.  I would use a sick person and a dying pet for a sad situation.  No matter what genre the story, I like to think of these things to start with.  That is what works for me!

What Inspires the Writer In Me- Short Stories Continued...

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What Inspires the Writer In Me- Fantasy Genres Continued

Fantasy books bring out something extra to any story or plot.  I love it when you have this out of this world idea fitting in with a story.  I mentioned before that I like to think of ordinary things to inspire me to write a fantasy book.  This time, to inspire the writer in me to write a fantasy book, I think of things that would normally be a bad situation, and make it a rather pleasant one, or vice versa.  For one, I would think of something I would be horrified with if I had to be there.  An example of a situation like this would be falling in the sky, or drowning in the ocean.  I would turn this into a pleasant situation by being able to fly, not fall, and to breathe underwater.  On the opposite side, I would like to read books.  Although, I would be horrified if I could not get out of one!  It might be pleasant at first, but sooner or later I would want to get back to my life.  I can only imagine if it was a horror book!  

The Power To Write- Get Inspired

There hasn't been a movie without a soundtrack.  Every movie has one.  Music brings out the feelings/emotions, problems/tensions, direction, and mood/setting of a subject matter.  Although the reader may not be able to read with music playing, the words on the pages play themselves out as such, and the writer of a book can certainly apply this technique to "feel" the material that he writes.  You might even find that your book is inspired by a song.  If nothing else, the song could inspire you.

The Power To Write- Get Inspired

     It's never too late to write your book!  If you enjoy writing, keep it that way.  Writing is a gift you've been given.  The awesome part to this gift is that it is one meant to be shared with others.  It starts as your own inspiration and then grows to inspire many more hearts.  But the only way it can come out of your pocket is if you write for yourself and no one else.

     Relax when you write.  A lot of the time, if you think about writing as an art, you become patient and keen for detail like an artist, painting a portrait.  If writing in your pajamas makes you relax, then do just that.  If drinking a cup of coffee, etc. will help, then have a cup.  Maybe you're thinking about writing a scene where a character from your novel is in his/her pajamas, or a small impression of a cup of coffee; if so, this might bring you into character as well.

Action Books Make the Best Movies- Revisited

Action books have continued to inspire, like always!  They have kept up their pace in the movies.  I thought it was about time to make an update on this post.  Do you wonder why I love action books?  They always seem to snap you out of your every day routine that we are all so used to.  Particularly the characters.  You think "Man, I would not have been ready for that."  Here are some more of my favorite action books that have been made into movies: Die Hard was based on the book Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp, Die Hard 2 based on the book 58 minutes written by Walter Wager, and Shutter Island based on the book by Dennis Lehane.  There are some great movies coming out, so there will be another update soon.  

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Expanding your vocabulary to include terms that describe your character, a chapter, book, scene, or genre opens up the door for new ideas to come flowing in.  You may never use any of them, but they inspire you to write with that defined tone.  I decided to search "horror vocabulary" to see what comes up and defined horror with a few words of my own also.  Here is a link to some horror vocabulary words:

Vocabulary list #1

Vocabulary list #2

     Notice how there are always contrasting tones to the one that you choose.  In a horror book there will be "scary words", and there will be words that make you calm; and unprepared for what is to come.  In a romance there will be words of love and words of conflict.  We already know this as writers, but it put me in a writing mood!

What Inspires the Writer In Me- YA Genres

Young adults are looking for something to inspire them.  At this time they can relate to your books more than anything.  Just thinking of this makes me inspired to write a YA book because I love to make a difference and impact people.  This is a whole new audience, and you can reach out to them in any genre or genres in itself.  I look to my experiences in life and think of the different things this audience is looking for.  They love just about all the possibilities we do, but they are learning as they go, and have much to learn.  They love the creation of imagination and conflicts to overcome, such as good and evil.  I use my imagination to feed into these things.  I look for situations that they would like to find themselves in, or find themselves get out of.  Maybe the usual in some cases, like a break from school life. 

Writing Ideas- Activities for Your Book

     Food inspires me to write.  As odd as it is, around super time I suddenly feel like writing.  It doesn't usually work, though, because I'm too hungry.  The point is food stimulates your brain.  Make sure you eat appropriately.  I also find that ideas come to me when I'm in the shower and when I'm going to sleep at night.  I'm glad that they come to me, but it's a hassle to write them down or remember them at that time.

     Then I realized; what correlates these circumstances is the physical stimulation to the brain.  You're either thinking nothing, or doing something, i.e. getting the brain going.  If you make a list of what usually gets you into your writing mood, you could maybe find a way to boost your writing time by doing similar activities.  Easy, right?  It makes you think back to when you had writer's block; it must have been like putting your brain into one of those cry rooms- wow- how did we believe there would be any results?  Poor brain....

What Inspires the Writer in Me- Western Genres

I love to read westerns.  It is something all of us can relate to in our history.  I am inspired to write western stories when I am out in the country.  Just by being out in the wild, and seeing detail first hand, I can catch it in my mind to record for my plot in my book.  You can create a variety of great characters with a plot of fine detail for the wild.  This makes a great western.  The part about being out in the wild, is what makes a western what it is.  This is one of many ways that inspires me to write my western book.  There are so many ways you can study the wild nature of our country.  I find the best way is to be out there first hand and catch all the detail for myself!

What Inspires the Writer In Me- Western Genres Continued...

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What Inspires the Writer in Me- Comedy Genres

When I think of a nice plot and find some humor in it, I am inspired to make it into a comedy story.  A nice plot, whether it has action, horror, or romance in it, makes a great story when humor is added.  I like how the story Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter mixes comedy with the detailed history of Abraham Lincoln.  I like to think of a nice story that I am familiar with.  Then I like to add some humor to it!  This is the best part for me!  I like to develop a new story out of my oh so familiar one with something no one would have guessed would be included in the plot I have created.  I am inspired to think of the obvious, then think of the not so obvious, that is sort of comical when you think of the two together.  That is fun to me! 

What Inspires the Writer in Me- Science Fiction Genres

 Science fiction makes one of the most exciting plots that can be interchanged with many other genres.  I love to write science fiction and read it!  With science fiction you can explore all of the possible unknowns out there.  You can make a great "what if kind of a story."  I am inspired every day to write science fiction just by asking these questions.  This really inspires me when I come up with a really good question.  A book with a good question like this one is a really good story to me!  It does help to know about science to come up with these questions, but I have come up with some great questions for my plot just by looking at the nature in my own backyard!  One of the most inspiring things in writing my book is when I come up with an answer to my question.  Writers always think of the unthinkable, that's why they have awesome books!

What Inspires the Writer In Me- Science Fiction Genres Continued...

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What Inspires the Writer in Me - Horror Genres

I know what you are thinking!  No, not the blood and guts!  I do activities that inspire me to think of scary plots.  I don't have to put myself in some dangerous or scary situation to inspire me to write a horror plot for my books.  I like to pay attention to the small details around me.  Things that other people don't notice are the things that I pay attention to.  When the unexpected happens, it takes me by surprise.  That's what makes a scary plot to me.  Sometimes I will just go to a quiet place, but the main thing I do is just go about my normal routine because after all, that is what everyone is doing when a scary plot comes up.  Sounds wierd, right!  I am going to a quiet place and doing my normal every day stuff to get inpired for writing a horror book.  That is what works for me.

What Inspires the Writer In Me- Horror Genres Continued...

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What Inspires The Writer In Me

What inspires me to write the most are my hobbies.  I think it is important to have hobbies because they give something to your writing that is unique to you.  Each person chooses their own hobby for their own reasons.  That is what makes their experience so unique.  They take away something different than everyone else with that same exact hobby.  Those experiences and values in a story make a unique character.  Right now, I find my time gardening.  Not just gardening, but studying the environment around me.  The bees that sometimes almost fly into you, and the occasional sticky mud that you deal with.  Right now with all the heat, my plants need to be watered.  When I am in the sun, I take a break to stand under one of my oak trees.  When I want to describe my character’s feelings, I look at what inspires the writer in me.