Inspiration, where does it come from?

Inspiration in Strange Places

Today I am writing to you to make you aware of the wonderful Stephen Fry’s Podcast, Stephen Fry Inside your mind.

I’m currently plotting out a novel that will make up a part of my PhD, and I’m also listening to this podcast at night in bed (I’m one of those people who need noise to sleep, thank heaven for podcasts). I have had a rough, very rough, idea of what I want my thesis novel to be. I want it to be a horror genre (obviously) story and I want it to feature disabled characters.

My PhD is after all about how disability is portrayed in horror literature and how this reflects society etc.

But beyond this vague idea, I’ve struggled to pin down anything more solid.

Until I listened to this podcast.

I was so inspired by some of the topics Stephen talked about that I got out of bed to write myself a note and put it on my desk. Listen to this podcast while fully awake and with a mind to your novel.

I love it when inspiration comes at me in unexpected ways.

It usually hits when I’m out travelling, I see places that make me think “What if…” sometimes I hear music that twists in my brain. Sometimes I see a picture or have a conversation. Rarely do these sources of inspiration give me the whole story, they give me a character or a concept or a location.

Where do you find your inspiration?