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I just wondered what inspires writers to write!
What usually sets me off is overheard conversations or the odd things people do. ("I'm a writer" is a great excuse for being an eavesdropper and watching people!!
Something different was a roadsign which said "Hurtmore, Charterhouse, Norney and Shackleford".
For ages I intended to do something with that combination of names, until eventually I wrote a sketch where they were a firm of solicitors!
(I would have liked to listen to more, but someone on our table started up a conversation with me and I didn't like to tell them to shut up.)
"He lives with another man but he likes to do his own hoovering."
Writers are loitering everywhere - we probably all provide inspiration at some point!
Christmas eve,man standing loaded with numerous parcels, a look of desperation on his face. His wife is looking at a china and glass display and says, 'John you're mother will recognise Caithness Glass to be something special?' I laughed out loud. I don't think the poor bloke could have cared less.
Gary.
"He was so tight that when he walked his bum squeaked."
(Hope we're allowed to say "bum" on here!)
I find two things inspire me, conversations I overhear and the countryside and beach in general.
I'm a very nosey person and can't help but listen in on conversations I hear other people having, working in a shop like I do is great because I can evesdrop on so many people.
My favourite places are ontop of the cliffs at Hope Bay and the feilds behind my house, they always make me think of fairys and magic. It's a wonderful place to live.
We all watch and listen, and sometimes we do it without being aware we are doing it.
I was on the bus one afternoon, last year, and listened to two women discussing a woman who they worked with. One of them referred to her as ' Miss-I am- (surname I can't remember), so I jotted it down. A few months later when I was doing a short story I used this description for one of the characters who was a bit stuck up, snobby and full of her own importance.
I have a vivid memory from my university days, which still cracks me up. I was walking across a large field, on my way to my hall of residence. Now, in this field, there was this herd of cows, which used to appear and disappear mysteriously on a weekly basis. As I headed up the path, I saw that the cows had stood up and were walking briskly away. Suddenly, I saw a football appear between their legs. Honest to God, for one freaky moment, I thought the cows were playing footie! Some seconds later, as the herd walked swiftly past, I saw that it was a just a bunch of guys playing behind them. By the time I reached my room, I had spun this whole tale about a herd of cows, who secretly observe local footie matches and practice their game in the fields at night, hoping to one day make it to the FA Cup finals...
And the other day, I looked after this huge newborn baby boy, in the special care baby unit. He was very cute and because of his size, he kept sliding towards the bottom of the incubator, where his podgy feet would occasionally kick the rear opening.
I suddenly had this notion of this big baby boy, who was trying to kick his way out to freedom.
I could hear him chuckling evilly 'Ahaha, today the Midlands, tomorrow the World!' ...
Scary thing is, I almost found myself whispering to him 'Er, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, chuck, but I think you may have to shelve this world domination scheme of yours for the time being. You see, crawling is quite some time away and walking, well, what can I say? Walking is MONTHS away ... and then there's running ... and don't get me started on stairs ... well, you sort of get the idea, don't you?'
My only excuse for that one was that I had just finished a 24-25 hour shift ....