I get inspiration everywhere—the news, Facebook posts, sermons, radio talk shows, conversations. It’s always about a question, something that makes me think . . . what if?
I got the story about Izzy (My Foolish Heart), the talk show host to the lovelorn from a Brad Paisely song, Online, about a guy who lives in his parent’s basement, but online he’s awesome (because he’s created that persona). I added to that the idea of falling in love over the airwaves, and whalla! Izzy’s story was germinated.
I got the idea for You Don’t Know Me while sitting on a plane to Seattle. The woman next to me was openly agitated, and when I talked to her (during the food and beverage service!), she told me was flying to Seattle to put her daughter into the witness protection program. Forever. The daughter was twenty-one. The questions surrounding that situation birthed the story.
[Tweet “Where to get #writing inspiration from (via @SusanMayWarren):”]I got the idea for Take a Chance on Me from an event that happened in our town—an accident that killed a well-regarded man. In the aftermath the town took sides for or against the person who hit him, and it birthed a slew of ideas about blame and forgiveness.
I always look at the idea and see if I can ask a big spiritual question about it, or touch an emotional issue, or even raise a social question. Then I start exploring the characters interacting with the question and how they might find answers.
Are you new here? You might want to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.