Inspiration works differently in all of us

by Kristin Daniels

Isn't it funny how the same thing can inspire people differently?

So, I was in my car the other day, just driving along, minding my own business, when a song comes on the radio. It's a newer song, and I'd heard it before. But until that day, I guess I'd never really listened to the words (or maybe it was because I was alone in the car and could actually hear them this time!). I immediately saw this song in my head. I know you all know what I mean... It was as if the song became a movie in my mind. And right then, I was inspired.

I saw a woman sitting alone, and at that moment, very lonely. She wanted to call her man, an ex I'm assuming. She's tired of missing him, tired of being by herself. It's late, and she wants company. She wants his company. Throughout the song, you feel the history between these two. She wants to call him, he wants to call her, but they both feel that if they do, it would be like losing a battle, losing control. But that doesn't matter to either of them, because you see, they need each other.

A story began to form in my head. Their background, what led them to the point where they're both wanting so desperately to call the other. What led them to needing each other for comfort (or some really hot... never mind. That's the erotic writer in me, LOL). What-if's started firing in my head. And words starting flowing on the page. I love it when that happens.

Later that day, I went online and looked up the band. I wanted to see the video for the song, just to see if what was in my head was anything close. And for the most part, it was (which just inspired me even more). Until the end. The end was completely different than what I had in my head. The song obviously inspired the director differently than it did me. Cool, I thought.

A day or two after that, I was chatting with our very own Esme (Hi, Esme!). I told her about the song, which I promptly bought from iTunes after that first day, and how I couldn't stop listening to it. She knew the one I meant. I told her I started writing a book inspired by it. She said she'd been inspired as well and had her own plot line swirling in her mind, and wasn't it amazing how different our ideas were. Again, I thought that was very cool. It just goes to show that there are no original story ideas any more, but the way an author shows the movie running inside their own head, well that can be very, very different.

See for yourself. Watch the video. Listen to the words. What do you think is going on between these two? I'd love to hear your ideas.