"I begin a book with imagery, more than I do with an idea or a character. Some kind of poetic image." - Rachel Kushner
I wonder.... if you take a black and white picture of a black cat, is it really a color photo?
Talk about random.
Just something I've been working on. Okay, to be honest, my husband tagged me in one of those Facebook challenges. This one is the "Seven days. Seven black and white photos of my life. No people. No explanation. Challenge someone every day." For day four, I considered a close-up picture of one of my cats, who is black, and considered using it for a challenge. When I made it black and white, nothing changed. I was tempted to submit the color photo to see who would notice. Since I was rechallenged by the last person I challenged, maybe I should do the color photo just to see what would happen?
When it came to finding these pictures, it made me think, more like grumble, a lot. The ideas I had from the beginning, the first challenge, were predictable; my cats, the dog, tea, my computer, possibly that tree over there. See? Pre-dict-a-ble. And I have another challenge to do! Either my life is boring or I'm terrible at this. Too bad it wasn't a music challenge. I would have blown that away! I listen to music every day without fail. My playlists rotate and I am currently listening to "Writer's Block Too" for obvious reasons. This particular playlist was genius. I mixed it up and went a little more alternative, rock, and a tad darker than normal. What? I need inspiration for my third Lost Gun book and last I checked, the series was not all daisies and fluffy unicorns. So I tapped into music's darker side, with some fun stuff mixed in. Cue the dance music!Oh? So did this magical playlist spark any inspiration?
Actually, yes. One song, Mad Hatter by Melanie Martinez, struck a chord for a new character. Once again it is the wrong story, but it was something new and I ran with it! One stanza, in particular, stuck out: "I'm peeling the skin off my face, 'Cause I really hate being safe, The normals, they make me afraid, The crazies, they make me feel sane". Now, the story I am working on is a simple vampires versus witches and vampire hunters. Alright, a quick summary: there is this one witch that was killed by her vampire which sent shockwaves through the tiny witch community. To make matters worse, the vampire became overpowered by the magic in the witch's blood and goes off to find more. Bringing us to our main character and her issues with her newly discovered power and the love triangle between her vampire and another. (If you know me, I cannot write a story without some sort of emotional turmoil.) During a battle between the main characters and this power-hungry baddie vampire, I froze. I didn't know how this was supposed to play out. I toyed with the idea of another witch giving her power to the main girl and one of the vampires personally knowing the big bad but still, nothing felt right. Hearing this song, this stanza multiple times, I began to see her. A new character, a witch, the same witch who's blood triggered the madness, makes her appearance after being driven mad by how her vampire manipulated her. Her mind was shattered, creating personalities to fit her trauma and odd habits, such as constantly chewing on her fingers and grumbling about hating how she had been used in the fight against vampires, to add to her insane demeanor. A once perfectly sane witch that snapped and did the unthinkable, gave her blood to a vampire causing the unrest that sets my story in motion. Yes, dark, but considering the story, a perfect catalyst for growth. My main had become stagnant. Her development halted by fear. This little push could be enough for her to blossom into the protector I envisioned her to be.
Okay, I guess it worked then. What about another song? Any other brilliantly insane characters?
No need to be sarcastic. I know the character I just mentioned needs a lot of work but remember, she's hardly on paper yet. So chill. But yes, another song is helping me, E.T. by Katy Perry. Something about this song always gets my romance side working. It's forbidden love, taboo, and great writing fuel. Every time I hear E.T., my mind wanders as I sing along. The story that comes to my mind is a simple girl meets boy, but what else would you envision? Katy Perry basically gives you a play-by-play.
Wow, so, lovey-dovey. You're a hopeless romantic, aren't you?
I very well might be! But you can't say anything because it helps me write. Right?
I can see that. But how are you going to keep pushing yourself? It seems that you've become stagnant as well.
Oh my God! You're right! What can I do? *paces nervously* There has to be something, anything. But what? Hold on.... There is something!
Oh no, I sense a bad idea coming.
Not a totally bad idea. A while back, a writer friend of mine had stalled in her writing. So I created a little challenge for her. I called it the "Media Inspired Short Stories" challenge! MISS for short.*slow clap* Absolutely brilliant.
Well, that's the name and I'm gonna stick with it! The idea is that you take a song or a picture a write a little story to go with it. Kinda like E.T. with me, but fleshed out. It's brilliant I tell you! Brilliant, brilliant, BRILLIANT!! (Props to those who get the reference!)
So that's what I'm going to do, expand this blog with short stories! I'll listen to a song, any song, you can suggest stuff to me too, and in couple weeks, I'll post a story with the song and/or picture attached. Try it with me too! If you feel the inclination to write, do it! Fuel the dormant imagination within and create! Now I feel like I'm trying to sell inspiration insurance.... I'll do it. Then you can tell me if you like my stories. Critique my creations!
