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K.S. Trenten

Sources of Inspiration: Blogging

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writing journal

Every year I take part in the Blogging From AZ April project. It’s always about the same characters, only I use a slightly different theme.  This year it’s Character Origins. When did these characters come to me? What inspired them? One year it was Character Conflicts. What is the main conflict for the character in the plot? Another year it was Character Snippets. As with Rainbow Snippets, I posted six sentences of story involving these particular characters.  Every time I participate in this project, I’m reminded of these characters. I’m reminded of the stories I’ve written. Every time I learn … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: A Purpose

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I find I write faster, stay focused, and stayed inspired in general if I have a purpose.  What am I trying to accomplish with this particular project? If I have characters, what are their purposes? How are those purposes aligned or at odds? Reminding myself of this helps me keep writing. It inspires my characters to do things. Sometimes they act in ways that surprise me, but they remain true to their purposes.  This doesn’t mean their purposes can’t change. Sometimes the actions my characters take over the course of a plot can lead to a change of purpose. It … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: Ordinary Things

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Once upon a read, I was advised by another writer to make a list of ordinary things. To try to write a story, an essay, or a poem about each of them. At first I thought this was a waste of time, a way to bore readers and myself. I mean who wants to read about trash bags and kitty litter? Yes, these are essential to every day life and I’m grateful for them. Does this mean I want to read about them or write about them? When I retreat into my imagination, I was hoping for a break from … 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: Someone Else

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There’s nothing quite like sharing my ideas with another person, especially someone who’ll listen and respond to what I say. Someone who offers not only positive reinforcement but interest. I get a charge of energy being around such people. More ideas pop into my head as we talk, concepts for potential stories, blogs, all kinds of projects. People are a source of creative vitality like nothing else for me. I doubt I would have gotten as far as I have as a writer if I hadn’t been lucky enough to have such people, encouraging me at various times in my life. … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: Opposites

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opposites - pixabay

One of my favorite books, Something Wicked This Way Comes, derives a measure of energy from two of its protagonists being opposites. Jim Nightshade is brash, adventurous, seeking danger, half in love with the dark promise of the autumn carnival. Will Halloway is thoughtful, sensitive to the danger in the air, yet somehow more innocent because of it. All of this is expressed in exquisite, visual prose which fires the imagination, much of which might be lost to modern edits. Opposites were depicted in a very different way in Naruto, a pair of contrasting characters I became quite obsessed with. Uzumaki … Read more

Sources of Inspiration: Ideas

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For me, sources of inspiration are closely linked with ideas. Much of my inspiration comes from one that pops into my head. I mull it over, allowing it to take form. I start writing about it, allowing it grow and spread across the piece of paper or file. Before long, I have a scene, a paragraph, a segment of dialogue. I start thinking about the circumstances which led to that dialogue, writing it down. Before too long, I have a story. Ideas can lead to other creative works as well, like blog posts or interviews. An idea allowed Quartz, not … Read more