How Can Your Life Inspire Amazing Fiction?
We associate fiction with imagination – the creation of new worlds. But there is an alternative source of inspiration. A creative writing secret that unlocks a stream of other creative ideas. Ideas that can inspire amazing fiction.
Do you know what it is?
Your life!
Yes, that’s right, your life.
Here is why.
Reflecting on your life experiences takes you in different or unexpected directions. , It provides a launchpad for exciting and engaging fiction stories to begin.
Your story or poem shouldn’t be a carbon copy of your life. Try engaging with thoughts, feelings and memories from different situations. Reminiscing on these experiences is a potent source of inspiration. They can help you write blow-your-mind fiction.
4 Ways Your Life Can Inspire Fiction
1 - Balance and Selection
Writing about ‘what you know’ gives you an added sense of confidence. Especially, if you’re starting your writing career. It offers an extra sense of assurance, as you are more familiar with what you are writing. It’s right to try to push or challenge ourselves sometimes. But, familiarity and experience are essential qualities also. Remember, you shouldn’t be afraid to utilise these sources of ideas.
Writing what you know is a great place to start, but it comes with limits.
There comes a small risk of relying too much on your life experiences. It’s important to trust yourself. To be sure of your ability to select what to use. Consider replicating a particular event. Focus on capturing the feelings it provoked, for example. Try making sure there are fresh, creative ideas laced in there as well. To make it exciting and engaging for those reading your stories.
2 - Memories and Experiences
Memories can be full of happiness, or pain. Try free-writing about the idea for a few minutes. See what you unlock. What expressions reveal themselves? For example, this may release a particularly striking turn of phrase you wouldn’t have thought of. You might want to place a character in that position. See how they deal with it. Or you could give the scenario an alternative ending. You may not have kept a diary. But, thinking back to that incident helps to discover a kaleidoscope of emotions. It may help generate a character’s personality.
The best part of using your life for writing fiction - the possibilities are endless.
For instance, an event or moment in your life you could parallel in your writing. Think about something happening that has stuck with you over the years. It could be big or small. You see the finer details that appear less significant can draw the most attention. They can have a considerable impact. Placing a character in a similar situation, allows your experience to come into play. It gives the scene a sense of realness and believability.
And, of course, you are free to change details. To change an angle and imagine alternative endings. These first-hand experiences provide a strong foundation for writing inspiring fiction.
3 -Relationships and Reflection
Relationships are a wealth of inspiration. Challenging feelings and emotions such as betrayal and heartbreak. These are often easier to channel in writing than those of a positive nature. From experience, leaning towards the painful side of the spectrum comes to my writing. For reasons I can’t pinpoint, I find it challenging to vent happier emotions convincingly.
Always try to embrace convincing feelings, it brings fiction to life.
Reflection is critical. We can get caught up in the moment, heightening emotion. But, after a while, we begin seeing things through a new lens. This approach allows you to discover new ways of observation. For example, you were hurt during a break-up. With time and reflection, hindsight shows it opened your life to greater happiness. You would have written one version at the time it happened. Now with hindsight and reflection, your thoughts and feelings take a different direction. Looking at circumstances from different angles provides alternative viewpoints. Can Creative Writing Ease Anxiety? We believe there are 4 startling ways it can. Even better, with writing fiction, we don’t have to play by any rules.
4 - A Personal Process
Writing fiction from your life isn’t incorporating your life into narrative forms. Instead, it is accessing memories of particular events and situations. It will help you recall deep feelings, ideas, people or places you have forgotten about. The potential of writing from personal experience ignites a spark within your work.
Remember, write down anything and everything that comes to mind. Regardless of how trivial it may seem. Listening to these powerful emotions stemming from yourself adds a greater depth to your work. Why? They arise from a real and personal place. Moreover, they fill your words with a sense of authenticity, a deep, genuine feeling of honesty to it. That is where your writing will connect with the reader.
On a personal level, writing like this is therapeutic. Writing about the reality of events that have happened, can act as a release. This is particularly relevant to painful experiences. Unearthing feelings you thought had left a long time ago. Flexing creative muscles, it is beneficial to yourself in different ways, just as much.
Interested in writing about your life without linking it to fiction?
Our Memories to Memoir course is what you need. This is a popular course and always has limited places. This creative writing course from Derbyshire Writing School helps you uncover memories and bring your life to the page.
Memories To Memoir Creative Writing Course Derbyshire
Real-life and Fiction
The truth is never to be afraid of leaning in on your life experiences for inspiration. Think about people you’ve met, places you’ve been, and things you’ve heard. These are all potential sources of material and inspiration. You have the freedom to channel an element of your life, a memory, an event, or anything, into your writing. Don’t filter yourself. Let your hand run free and see what divulges itself to you. It will inspire blow-your-mind fiction for your readers.
The adage, ‘write what you know’ is a great place to start.
How do you feel about writing fiction based on real-life events? Do you steer clear of those painful memories? Or are you happy to let real life weave its way into the tapestry of your stories?
We’d love to know what you think. Send us a message now!
