Where do you get your story ideas? Are they based on real people and real events?
In my latest book, Bridging Two Hearts, the answer, like always, is “sort of.”
1. From real people’s characters
This is Ben. He’s in the Navy and his experience trying to become a SEAL prompted me to think about the difficulties of being a special forces member. He is NOT the hero, but the Josh is like him in a few strategic ways: fun-loving, loyal, determined and brave.
I take those kernels–attributes of people I know–mix them in with others and my imagination comes up with a unique character. Sometimes I’m surprised, though, when they talk like their inspiration. 🙂
2. By extrapolating from people’s situations.
This is my friend Rose. We visited her family in Coronado and she told us about being awakened at night by Navy SEAL trainees paddling in San Diego Bay. Why would they do that?
It’s part of Hell Week.
Rose worked at the Hotel del Coronado–which she loved for its friendliness and historical environment. She, like me, had a bunch of kids in college.
3. Work together with friends to brainstorm ideas.
The genesis of Bridging Two Hearts was a four-novella series I put together with three friends that centered on the Hotel del Coronado’s spa. When that project was not selected, I took my story, enlarged and altered it and submitted a proposal based on a tweaked idea. But it originated with Julie Carobini, Sherry Kyle and Karen O’Connor. Thank you, ladies.
4. Find an exotic location people would be interested in visiting, or that they know about.
The Hotel del Coronado is a well known romantic spot and the site of one of the funniest movies ever made: Some Like It Hot. Even if you don’t know the name, you might recognize the location!
5. Take personal circumstances and questions and put them into an unusual situation.
Wouldn’t the Hotel del Coronado be a great place to work for the summer while you’re earning money for college?
What kind of job would work well there?
Their spa is world famous . . .
6. Consider local spots that might impact the story.
How about a church? Or a gelato stand? The beach? How can they add to the story and make it more real?
7. Think about what else you know about your location.
I first heard of Coronado–other than Some Like It Hot–from reading Admiral James and Sybil Stockdale’s book In Love and War. What did I learn from their terrific book?
That heroes still live in Coronado and, as Josh says in Bridging Two Hearts: “It’s always good to acknowledge the good guys.”
8. What do your life experiences bring to mind and how do they inform your point of view?
Where have you spent a lot of your life? What experts can you call on for help?
For me, 20 years as a Navy wife. There’s really only one real hero in all my stories:
Where do you find inspiration and ideas for creative projects in your life?
Such great ideas! And it would be great to have people to brainstorm the ideas with.
Inspiration…probably most of my ideas come from my own life. I would like to move away from my life onto this kind of plotting.
This was a good read! I’m fortunate enough to have a writing buddy I can brainstorm with. She has helped more than one of my characters out of a jam (Before I met her, I had characters stuck at an airport and didn’t know how to write them out. They were there for 8 months before she came along!).
There are some elements of my life that inevitably make it into all my stories: there will be something musical, food being prepared and eaten (and enjoyed), probably a hand written letter, and at least one battle. If I look at the stuff I wrote in my teens, horses. Horses everywhere.