StoryMash Creative Storytelling Forum

Me: Losing myself in music.

You: ???

Music is good. I also get a lot of ideas from watching movies or TV. A character, a scene, a snippet of dialogue and the 'what if's start. When I'm really, stuck, zoning out in front of a video game usually gets me going again.

LOL - almost embarrassed to admit, but watching older cartoon shows (not the newer lame stuff they keep churning out, but the old school stuff) often sparks creativity for me. Some of those old cartoons, like Gargoyles and Batman: The Animated Series, did action pretty well.

Music mainly for me. I have certain styles of music I listen to when writing; depending on the mood of the piece or sceen I want.

Other things that tend to work for me: If I can't think of anything, lol, I e-mail DKK and she gives me a challenge! lol If I've got writer's block, I watch movies or just read. And I know it sounds funny, but I get alot of my ideas from my own dreams.

Has anyone heard of the game Universalis?

It's a table-top storytelling game. You get a group of people together and go around the table, adding to the story as you see fit. You can challenge others about the story if you don't like what they're saying, and there are mechanics to negotiate challenges like this.

This in itself is actually a very good way to tell a story, but I've also been thinking about how useful the process the game uses to create the setting/background might be useful to spark ideas for writing a story. Play goes around the table, one thing about the story/world established at a time. It could be anything from giving a Genre, to giving some law of the universe, to creating a character.

Easy!! I go to the library. Just reading all those delicious-sounding titles sends me spinning into another world.

Getting angry. Nothing beats some rage-writing.

Out of curiosity, what do you write about when you're angry?

Lol, well generally I do very explicit and morbid short-stories. Stuff involving serial killers and methodical torturing.

I rarely do raw and simple stuff. I got one or two short stories on here I did when i was in one of those angry moods.

My own dreams. Most of my stuff comes from them. My dreams are really creative and adventurous, so they leave an impression on me when I wake up. Maybe the pills I take to make me sleep might have something to do with that too! LOL ;)

How funny - Many of my story ideas have been at least partially influenced by some of the BEE-ZARE dreams I've had!

I think I've only had one reoccuring dream that has sparked enough to write a story about. Haven't dove into it yet but it is on the list. Most of my dreams are way to weird to ever make any sense let alone get onto paper. :)

Improvisation.

To every storyteller here, I recommend the book "Improvisation for Storytellers" by Keith Johnstone. The author generally works with theatre, but his tips in here work in any and all mediums of storytelling.

My favorite way is to drink coffee or five hour power (ONE A DAY) and just let the ideas fly out as I write.

Usually daydreaming with some good music. Mainly instrumental to trance helps the mood. Or a good ole diet coke and a cigar.

Reading through really old stuff I've written, observing things I normally overlook, and my own dreams seem to spark my favorite writing. I listen to music, but for the most part I try to avoid being unintentionally influenced. It's so easy to have the mood of a song influence how you're writing.

Observing the world around me. Walking through streets and see what people do. This is the biggest form of inspiration :)

A hangover. Works like a charm.

I usually create characters first, and then i think up a story for them. Music, definantly. Sometimes those video documentaries on PBS give me ideas too.