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Kari Trenten

Sources of Inspiration: Action During Dialogue

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The very first thing which comes to me in a story is the dialogue. Perhaps it’s just a single line uttered by one of my characters and a response to this. Once that pops into my head, an entire scene blossoms around it. Most of my stories have a lot of dialogue, but there’s a wealth of action around character convesation I have yet to explore. The movements, the interactions of the characters with the setting; I’m too easily distracted from this when I’m writing. Seeing effective use of them, a character playing with a statue similar to a creature … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: Seeing What I Want

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I just saw a series which is no longer on the air (you can see what it is from the picture). It gave me something I’m always looking for, yearning for in my stories and writing. Intimacy within adversity and conflict, offered up with all the raw power that two enemies find themselves within as they become something more. I’m not certain if Hannibal is a love story or not. I like the uncertainty of not knowing exactly what it is, the mystery. This love of mystery in such matters may be one of the reasons I’ve avoided classifying myself … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: Change

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It’s easy for me to fall into a rut. I wear the same clothes and accessories. I watch certain shows. I listen to the same playlists of music over and over. It’s comforting, especially when I’m troubled by something or doubled over with pain from one of those wonderful sinus headaches which make the back of my head throb, upsetting my stomach. (I’m being sarcastic.) Only that cycle of comfortable familiarity can make my imagination sleepy. Sometimes I need to do something different to wake it up. I’ll stop reaching for the same pair of earrings I’ve been wearing for … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: Blogs

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crystal - KS trenten - sources of inspiration

At times I worry that I’m spending too much time on my blogs, time that takes me away from my many works in progress. The Cauldrons, however, have been a vital source of inspiration, creativity, and energy since becoming a professional writer. They give me an idea of what direction I want to take my stories in. They’ve given my characters a spot to express themselves, bringing to my attention matters I need to focus on. Quartz has taken on a life of his own in Secondary Characters Speak Out, refusing to let himself fade away, even when I’m concentrating … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: Space and Company

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I’ve been thinking about this a lot during Camp NaNoWriMo. To write, I find I require space and company at different times. I need a place where I can write, be alone with my thoughts, or at least be allowed to work. It would be nice for that location to be quiet, but that’s not always possible. I’m getting better at blocking out distractions, like background noise (even though it still irritates me), but sometimes a family member wants something or needs attention. They’re determined to be heard, so I must be equally determined to sneak away. To go to … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: Movement

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Sometimes the story I’m writing gets stuck. I stop writing, unsure where to go with my characters next. How do I get the plot moving again? The answer is to move. The way I often find that forward momentum is by moving myself. I get up. I take my coffee cup to the sink and wash it out. I take a turn around the room. All the while, I think about my story. How can I get it going again? I keep asking myself that question as I raise my hands, pick things up, walk about, go up the stairs, … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: Write a Lot

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Writing can be its own source of inspiration. This is something I’ve discovered as I’ve gotten into the habit of being prolific. The more I write, the more ideas come to me. I spend a morning handwriting freeform thought, I get a couple ideas for blogs. I write the blogs, I find myself thinking of what I’m going to write in other blogs. I spend a little time working on a story, pushing myself farther, only to find that not only is the story flowing out more easily, I’m getting ideas for other stories. Last month was very busy, yet … Read more

Dealing with Distraction

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Too often I get distracted. I cannot count the number of times I stopped in the middle of a Work in Progress, because I was obsessed with Star Wars, Tokyo Babylon, or Naruto. Those are just the fun distractions. There’s also the serious, real life problems which grab, shake me, and leave me too hurt to create. How do I deal with them? How do I deal with such distractions so I can work? Sometimes I simply can’t. It’s too big, too serious. I have to take a break from my writing, let myself cope. Regardless of how big or … Read more

Sources of Inspiration – Weather

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It seems like such a boring, neutral topic, doesn’t it? The weather is what we talk about when we have nothing else to say. Only it doesn’t have to be like that. Applied with the right touch in a story, the weather can reflect a character’s mood, play into a plot, and propel the story forward. I remember reading about the storm Victor Frankenstein wandered about in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. William, Victor’s younger brother had just died. The weather reflected the protagonist’s torment and guilt. For within the flickering lightning, Frankenstein catches a glimpse of the creature he created and … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: Changing Locations

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I’m very attached to my writing spots at home. Not only do I have my own office space, but the kitchen table is directly below a skylight. Sitting there I receive a lot of natural light. They’re both great places to work on rough drafts, edits/corrections, and generally create. Sometimes, however, there are too many distractions at home. My loved ones. Other tasks which need to be accomplished. Someone taking a drill to the pavement outside. Sometimes I need a change. I take my notebook or my laptop and go somewhere else. I look for a cafe during its off … Read more