Where Do You Find Inspiration? Unlocking Creative Secrets?
Where do you find inspiration? It’s the question every author is asked at some point, and every author has a different answer. Some writers claim they’ve always known, scribbling in notebooks since childhood, filling journals with stories, 
and never questioning their call. Others say their inspiration came later, sparked by a single moment that lit a fire they never expected. The truth is, inspiration can be found anywhere and everywhere—it just depends on how open you are to noticing it.
I am not one of those lifelong writers. I wasn’t the kid filling diaries with short stories, nor was I penning the next great novel while other teenagers were out at the movies. I wrote a couple of small things here and there, dabbled in some cringe-worthy poetry in my teenage years (the kind you’d hide in a locked box so no one would ever read), but that was it. For me, the real spark of inspiration didn’t come until later.
One day, I saw a promo for a new television show called Roswell, based on the books by Melinda Metz. I decided to check it out, and I loved it. This was back in the early days of the internet, when message boards and user groups were blossoming everywhere. I found a message board dedicated to Roswell and joined it, quickly discovering a wonderful group of people who shared my fascination. Many of us are still friends to this day. That community became one of my 
first sources of inspiration—not because the show was flawless, but because of what it lacked.
You see, Roswell had an incredible cast, amazing chemistry, and a storyline with the potential to touch viewers deeply. But network executives wanted the show to be something different, and when the writers tried to follow their directives, the story suffered. That’s when I stumbled onto something that completely blew my mind: fan fiction. For anyone unfamiliar, fan fiction is when fans write their own stories using characters and worlds from an existing work. Suddenly, I realized that I didn’t have to passively watch as the story veered in directions I didn’t enjoy. I could create my own version. That was inspiration at its purest: frustration mixed with creativity.
For a long time, fan fiction became my outlet. It was where I found inspiration again and again. I wasn’t the most skilled fan fiction writer, but people responded to my stories. They enjoyed the “what if” scenarios I explored, and that gave me confidence. I even branched out into other fandoms, and with each story, I discovered something important: I was, in fact, a writer. Not a great one yet, but a writer nonetheless. And sometimes that realization alone is the inspiration you need to keep going.
Eventually, I moved on from writing fan fiction. But the question remains: where do you find inspiration? Over time, I’ve realized that the answer is everywhere. Inspiration isn’t limited to books, shows, or even art. Sometimes it comes from a single phrase, a dream, or a fleeting thought while washing the dishes. Back in my fan fiction days, I asked “what if?” constantly: what if those characters did this, what if they ended up there, how would they react? That same question still drives me today—but now, I get to invent my own characters instead of borrowing someone else’s.
Take Meg, my latest character. I’m not even sure her name will stick, but she’s beginning to take shape. Meg is a teenager, shy and insecure, who spends a lot of time inside her own head. She practices martial arts, goes running, plays music—solitary hobbies that mirror her introspective nature. She also has a secret: she’s magical, though she doesn’t know it yet. The last time I wrote about Meg, she was cooking stew for her family when she slipped—perhaps magically, perhaps just imaginatively—back in time. In her mind, it was just a vivid daydream. But was it?
Where did that idea come from? Inspiration struck me in the middle of stirring a pot of spaghetti sauce for my own family. As I watched the sauce simmer, I imagined Meg in her kitchen doing the same thing, and suddenly the story began to unfold. It’s moments like that which remind me that inspiration isn’t always grand or dramatic. Sometimes it bubbles up from the most ordinary places—a TV promo, an internet message board, a simmering pot on the stove.
So when people ask me now, “Where do you find inspiration?” my answer is simple: everywhere. In friendships, in frustrations, in fandoms, in family dinners. Inspiration isn’t a rare gem you stumble upon only once; it’s a constant presence, waiting to be noticed. You just have to be willing to ask the questions, listen closely, and let your imagination wander. And who knows? Maybe your next great character, like mine, will appear while you’re stirring sauce on a quiet evening. The sauce turned out delicious. I hope Meg’s story will, too.
Right now – I am slogging slow and steady on my writing, but never on my reading. And with reading, comes book reviews. Feel free to check out this review of Parallel Attractions – a great story written by another Roswell fan!
Your Turn: Where do you find inspiration? Do your best ideas come from books, movies, conversations, or even while cooking dinner? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear what sparks your creativity!
