Not the same as motivation and very close to getting ideas. Inspiration can help you create new things. Please, do not go and copy. There are some vloggers that talk about not being a trend; to be a trendsetter. And they are actually right. You can do something like zombies, vampires, cyborgs, etc. but do not do the same story, doing just a little nip and tuck. Those themes are vastly general. How do you get from a cyborg to a story that will be new and will excite your readers? You need to use your creative side and do something new.
So where can you get this so-called inspiration? How bout takes a look around. Yes! At this moment take a look around. What do you see? What do you hear? A loud crowded place? A deserted area? Those it sounds spooky, happy? How does it make you feel? If you keep asking questions, somewhere you can ignite a spark of inspiration towards a character, book, world, and/or plot.
Do we continue? How about what was the lost song you heard? Did you listen to the lyrics? Close your eyes and hear everything. The musicalization. Last movie. Remember that you are creating something new, not copying. That is your challenge. Do you want to do wizards? There is a lot of things you can do without creating a Harry Potter 2. See how many fantasies stories are there.
Going back to inspiration towards creating your story. Is there a co-worker, family member that gets into your skin? Can you up to it up a notch to become a villain or the antagonist’s assistant? What if your every day was in 2000 years from now? How will things look? Politics? Economy? Religion? Relationships? I know there are a lot of questions that need answers, but asking those questions will create a deeper rabbit hole towards your story.
For me personally, I use music. Even music I don’t normally listen to. Why? Because I want to be challenged. I hear everything that can create a connection with what I’m writing. When I want to create characters and worlds I see my surroundings and art. I saw a couple of people that I liked their look and sometimes it is hard, but sometimes I find the courage to ask for a photo. If I can’t I also draw a picture and try to search it online for a similarity. Questions flow my head and when I encounter a new thing I do extensive research. I see if it matches the story.
So back again. What inspires you? What can inspire you? I gave you a few questions and things you can do. How will you use them?