Hi everyone,

Well, thought it was about time I blogged again.:) Finally got over my cold & bronchitis.

I thought of the subject that I've gotten asked a lot - Where do you get your ideas for stories?

I get inspirations or ideas from basically three areas. One is just a spontaneous thing - perhaps I see something and it gives me an inkling of an idea. It's similar to what Stephen King did for "The Shining". He knew about, stayed at, or drove by (can't remember which) the hotel used in his story. And it gave him the inspiration for creating this creepy tale.

The best example I can think of, was an unpublished short story I got inspired to write by noticing an old man in my community. This was in Arkansas, back some years ago (I'm dating myself), when people used to pick up glass bottles for refund. He wasn't a bum, but probably did it to add to his income. He was a very old man, and he'd seemed old to me all the times I'd seen him. Almost like he'd been an old man forever!

I decided that I wanted to write a story using him for inspiration and make it into something scary. I don't want to give the plot away because one day I may dust it off and try to get it published.:) But he was the soul collector for the devil. The punch was of course, this sweet looking elderly man being such an evil being, which the main character discovers at the end of the story.

Part 2 coming soon - Getting story ideas from dreams.

Myra
www.myranour.com