Starlight: Sewing Ideas Into Words

To seek inspiration intentionally is to tell oneself that the point of every beautiful and tragic part of life is another area to write about. Inspiration is sought out visually, emotionally, and mentally.

Questions for thought

• How do you feel about the obstacles and highlights of your life?
• What do you look forward to?
• What do you dread?
• What kind of moments give you the warmest feeling in your heart?
• What helps you smile in the midst of challenge?

Exercise the three areas of inspiration inside your own writing.

Visual Inspiration

The easiest way to find visual inspiration is through photography. Look up nature scenes, dream houses, holidays, weddings, etc. As you are scrolling through your search, choose the photo that catches your attention the most. What kind of scene in your story could you construct with the inspiration of this image?

Example: Morning Sun

The sun glorifies the trees and outputs intricate patterns of shade.

Emotional Inspiration

I find emotional inspiration through movies and television series due to the songs that actively set the mood of the story. What is your favorite movie? What is your favorite song? What are the lyrics to your favorite song? What song(s) play a role in your emotional state?

David Aames says goodbye to his beloved before he wakes up and returns to his real life.

Mental Inspiration

Spark critical thinking. What can you learn from the last tragedy you experienced? What makes you feel peaceful? What happened in your past that changed your course of thinking forever? What is the most beneficial and the most destructive emotion?

STORYBOARDS AND OUTLINES

Foundation

Describe your story structure using worksheets for the character, world, mood, and setting, which can be found on the mobile app Character Story Planner. The character information worksheet outlines the basic components of the role, history, and life of each character.

Storyboard

After the worksheets are completed, the next step would be to condense the material into chronological order in 10-20 scenes (the less the better), serving as the storyboard.

In partnership with the storyboard, the outline relates to the specific details using imagery and description. The portfolio would serve as a map to the story's setting, mood, and order.

Articles pertaining to thought organization, script writing, scene setting, and visual as well as mental inspiration greatly support a concise writing process.

Exercise: Write Something New

Write a short story using the three areas of seeking inspiration.

Inspiration is sought out visually, emotionally, and mentally.

Paragraph 1: Write 3-5 sentences about a picture. For future reference, look for photography opportunities every time you leave the house.

Paragraph 2: Listen to a song of choice and paraphrase the lyrics, using whatever inspiration came to mind to elaborate on the next 3-5 sentences.

Paragraph 3: Write in light of a question surrounding your niche.

i.e. What do you think about the idea that artificial intelligence could advance to the point where computers could monitor each aspect of the human mind? What is the most beneficial and the most destructive emotion?

End the activity by saving your work into a binder with an inspirational design. Be proud of every step you take towards improving yourself as an author.

By the twenty second century, technological developments had made it possible for humans to observe inside thoughts and dreams through a multipurpose device called the corneal implant. The corneal implant pairs with the connection from the optic nerve to the brain, creating a hands-free world of technology via Bluetooth. The C.I. increases productivity and environmental sustainability by replacing paper, thus making the unauthorized use of paper illegal. After experiencing malfunctions in the corneal implant, Landon Brauns, a CEO of a publishing house, is sent to Brain Analyzation, the psychiatric care system of the future. As Dr.Huntington and Dr.Hodson analyze Landon's brain, they observe a level of photographic detail in his dreams that was assumed to be extinct. Landon experiences a distorted version of life and love in his own mind set in a time far before he existed.