Several years ago, I drove to Santa Barbara unaware that a truck had dumped a load of nails onto the 101 freeway. By the time I spotted the scattered cargo it was too late. I ended up with four—yes four!—flat tires. As my son and I waited on the side of the road for the Auto Club he asked, “Mom, are you going to use this in a book?
Ah, inspiration. It can hit anytime, anywhere and sometimes when you least expect it. Boom. Bang. Fireworks! That’s part of the fun and delight of being a writer. No matter what happens good or bad there’s always the possibility that a story will pop out of it. That goes double for vacations.
During a trip to Paris, my husband and I enjoyed a moonlight cruise along the Seine. It was a scene right out of a Harlequin novel. That is until disaster struck. As we emerged from beneath a bridge, a bunch of hooligans dumped barrels of motor oil on our boat, creating havoc.
Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt, but what a mess! The fun began when the boat docked. Irate travelers stormed onto shore screaming in what seemed like fifty different languages at the befuddled owner—an enormous Asian man who arrived on a mini-cycle.
Now, I ask you. What better place for a writer than Paris at midnight surrounded by a mob of enraged foreigners? While the others ranted and raved about ruined clothes, I stood reveling in a new story idea. At one point my husband pulled me aside and told me to stop smiling. He worried that the others would think I’d planned the whole affair.
Not all inspiration can be found in the form of disaster.
A chance remark by a friend over lunch gave me the basis for a story about a woman who regained her hearing after twenty-five years. A visit to the dentist helped me work out a plot problem by way of an article in an old magazine. A group of children playing in the park gave me an idea for a pivotal scene.
An early dictionary defined the word inspiration as an immediate influence of God. The word also means to breath in, inhale. If what Thomas Merton said is true about “Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth planting something in his soul,” then even mundane happenings can be turned into poems, books, music, art and even scientific discoveries.
All we have to do is pay attention and breathe.
Of course, as every creative person well knows, a light bulb moment is only the beginning. Sir Isaac Newton’s inspiration came from an apple falling from a tree, but it took a lifetime to fully develop the science of mechanics which explains the force of gravity.
Inspiration is nothing more than an idea that hasn’t been put to work. Once an idea is in hand a writer must then go after the story, sometimes with a sledgehammer. That’s what Rod Serling called the bleeding part.
Who knows? One day I might even hammer out a story from those four flat tires.
Do you have a favorite “light bulb” moment? If not, where do you get your best ideas?
Margaret
N.Y. Times bestselling author Margaret Brownley has published more than thirty books and is a former Romance Writers of America RITA© finalist. She also wrote for a daytime soap and currently has a story in the Four Weddings and a Kiss collection. A Nutcracker Bride will be published in October followed by Book one in her Undercover Ladies series, Petticoat Bride. Not bad for someone who flunked eighth grade English. Just don’t ask her to diagram a sentence.
And the winner is… Dianna Auton!
Dianna, if you’ll send Margaret your snail mail address through this contact link, she’ll send you your autographed copy of the book!
Tamera Alexander
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It is amazing how inspiration can find you. As an attorney, I generally “write” a bit differently than you. However, if I have a document to draft, I will generally think about how to go about it for a while, before writing and then miraculously it just pours out.
Also, I teach a children’s Sunday School class. It is a challenge determining what craft we will be doing. I am generally hit with the inspiration on Saturday night or Sunday morning. It seems to work.
your new book sounds so good! thanks for the giveaeay…
I think all my light bulb moments were in the past, ha! My old brain mainly just follows now. I had many moments while raising my two kids, but now I let my daughter do all the planning for my Grandkids.
That Paris story is too funny! And, hey, it helped you appreciate the humor of the situation rather that the uncomfortable aspects. My lightbulb moments tend to be less dramatic 😉 but I enjoy ideas striking in the middle of every day observation of life.
It is interesting how those moments of “inspiration come from unexpected places and events as well as in everyday living. I always feel inspiration is, in some fashion or another, providential.
I find inspiration via whatever is around me – people, nature, etc., by leaving my mind open to the possibilities.
I’m a people watcher and have been most of my life. One thing I’ve copied for my life I saw on tv about 2 wks before Christmas that year. The station was covering a plant closing in a nearby town. They asked one man how he could be smiling and the plant was closed and padlocked before any notice was given. He said that as long as you keep God first in your life and look for the humor in any situation then there is nothing that you can’t get through. No matter the circumstance I’ve attempted to do that with my life. If I ever write a novel, will use that as a part of the basis for a book. Always GOD FIRST.
Wonderful to have you here, Margaret! I loved when you said that your husband recommended that you stop smiling after the Parisian boat debacle, lest they think you planned the whole affair. 🙂 What a great picture of what it is to be a writer open to inspiration in any circumstance.
my light bulb moments often come at 3 in the morning when I cant sleep.
I usually get my best ideas in the shower. That is where I do my best thinking a lot of times.
I don’t have a favorite “light bulb” moment. My best inspiration comes from reading other books, watching tv and just imagining things. I have a very active imagination. LOL
OIL dumped on the passengers!? I can’t imagine the mess–and then to hear the cacophony of the other (upset) travelers…what a word picture you painted for your readers! Yes, I would enjoy reading your books!
Oops! I forgot to mention “light bulb” moments–they come unbidden–it might be the perspective of my 6 yr old grandson who tells me that he can read “anything!” Yes, he can! Or when he tells me that he’s written a song for me!
Or reading the Bible, and coming across the word “stuff” in the King James Version, while reading about Achan–Joshua 7:11, God tells Joshua that stolen items are hidden “even among their own stuff” STUFF–stuff? do I have “stuff” in my life?
Loved your post, Margaret—thanks for sharing with us today! 🙂
Had to giggle at your Paris story—I know it was a mess, but the fact you were smiling as you pondered story ideas was great. 😉
As someone else said, I tend to get my best ideas in the shower (I keep saying I need a waterproof memo board so I can jot ideas down when they hit, LOL).
A few years ago my family and I visited a bookstore in another city. As soon as we walked inside, an idea came to me, and I’ve since written a contemporary manuscript from that idea (not pubbed–yet). 😉
I also wanted to tell you that I loved the novella collection A Bride for All Seasons (and your story–And Then Came Spring).
Blessings from Georgia, Patti Jo
You look at your situations with a class that is half full. I think that’s the outlook we all need to have, thought it is challenging. I loved your post and I hope to see you blogging on here again soon!
I loved your story from Paris…it made me laugh and I went directly to tell it to my parents who also laughed.
I have lightbulb moments when I am in the car by myself! I think it finally gives me time to think without a lot of distractions!
Loved the Paris story! I don’t write, but I have “aha” type moments when I’m in a crafty mode or gardening.
I seem to get my best ideas right as I’m falling asleep! Sometimes I’ll hop up and jot down some notes and sketches, but usually I’m too tired… and in the morning I can’t remember the details 🙁
Looking forward to reading your new book- I love novella anthologies! Thanks for the giveaway!
I get a lot of ideas while I’m driving, trying to get my toddlers to nap.
I think we all experience aha moments. I too love the Paris story! And 4 flat tires! No
My light-bulb moments for stories happen all the time! And my family and friends will laugh at me because they know that’s exactly what I’m thinking–a new story idea. But, I agree, even though you have an idea, its hard to actually form the plot line.
A lot of my inspiration comes from pictures and music. I’ve had one line in a song I’ve listened to many times suddenly stand out and my mind starts whirling with ideas and words. I have to write it down at once or I lose it, though, which makes it tricky during those times when I don’t have paper and a pen.
I can’t wait to hear what you come up with for your 4 flat tires!
~Sarah
I get light bulb moments usually when I am in the car or in the midst of the usual family chaos moments