One of my favorite writers Richard Lee Byers (Forgotten Realms series) said that if you're going to be a writer in a specific genre, it's best to read outside of that genre.
With the popularity of fantasy novels rising in young adult readers, most likely do to Harry Potter, Eragon, and the Lord of the Rings movies, authors who aspire to be great fantasy writers have a lot of material to draw on. I do respect Tolkien, Rowling, and other fantasy writers, I do not hold their works above any other, nor do I see them as the absolute basis for fantasy writing. Writing is a collective pool of ideas where everyone steals from everyone.
While reading fantasy novels have helped me in my fantasy stories, I have also drawn story ideas from reading classic authors like Alexandre Dumas and Homer, to more modern authors like Stephen King, James Patterson, and Agatha Christie.
By going to college, I have not only learned to fine tune my writing, but I've also used ideas I have studied for stories. Learning about other cultures have helped me with ideas of how cities are structured and how hierarchies can be established within a society, while I have learned about current events that could easily be transcribed into a story.
Television and Movies have also provided me with inspiration. Like books, there are standards for epic fantasy, like the Lord of the Rings movies and Star Wars to a degree. However I've drawn concepts from action and drama. Watching cheesy marital arts movies, pro wrestling, and MMA that can helped me coreograph a fight scene by showing me that how the character's feet and body is moving is just as important as showing the reader how their weapon is moving.
Buddy comedies and sitcoms have shown how companions can interact with one another as the best of friends, but still have conflict with one another, whether it is a grudge because one friend dated with his best friend's sister, or there was a dispute of beliefs within the group.
Many sports movies have that formula where a team that is last place goes through struggles and victories to make it to the top of their league and win the championship.
The one scene where I want to include in a story is a scene from Major League II where Willie Mays Hayes (Omar Epps) gets a fight with Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Charlie Sheen). This quick brawl escalates in the whole Indians dugout fighting, with a drunk Harry Doyle (Bob Uecker) commentating on the scene.
Ideas for characters concepts have come from not just stuff I read or watch, but my friends, coworkers, and peers. I've also cultivated story ideas from them, whether it's reflected on an old game of DND, or just talking in the news alley about the weird stuff we did as little kids.
While reading fantasy novels have helped me in my fantasy stories, I have also drawn story ideas from reading classic authors like Alexandre Dumas and Homer, to more modern authors like Stephen King, James Patterson, and Agatha Christie.
By going to college, I have not only learned to fine tune my writing, but I've also used ideas I have studied for stories. Learning about other cultures have helped me with ideas of how cities are structured and how hierarchies can be established within a society, while I have learned about current events that could easily be transcribed into a story.
Television and Movies have also provided me with inspiration. Like books, there are standards for epic fantasy, like the Lord of the Rings movies and Star Wars to a degree. However I've drawn concepts from action and drama. Watching cheesy marital arts movies, pro wrestling, and MMA that can helped me coreograph a fight scene by showing me that how the character's feet and body is moving is just as important as showing the reader how their weapon is moving.
Buddy comedies and sitcoms have shown how companions can interact with one another as the best of friends, but still have conflict with one another, whether it is a grudge because one friend dated with his best friend's sister, or there was a dispute of beliefs within the group.
Many sports movies have that formula where a team that is last place goes through struggles and victories to make it to the top of their league and win the championship.
The one scene where I want to include in a story is a scene from Major League II where Willie Mays Hayes (Omar Epps) gets a fight with Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Charlie Sheen). This quick brawl escalates in the whole Indians dugout fighting, with a drunk Harry Doyle (Bob Uecker) commentating on the scene.
Ideas for characters concepts have come from not just stuff I read or watch, but my friends, coworkers, and peers. I've also cultivated story ideas from them, whether it's reflected on an old game of DND, or just talking in the news alley about the weird stuff we did as little kids.
Off the top of your head:
What has been the most unlikely place where inspiration came to you?
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