Finding Inspiration for Your Stories

Are there times when you need inspiration to use in your stories? For instance, if you are imagining a setting but can’t quite figure out how it should look. Or how the cities are constructed. Or how people in your story worlds express themselves in art or leisure – there are ways to be inspired.

When I’m not sure about how to build a story world, I do a lot of online research. But there are times when I’m not sure what to look for. Perhaps what I’m looking for doesn’t actually exist in the “real world.”

What I’ve found (and what you probably know) is that authors can gain inspiration just about anywhere. You never know what will spur an idea that will give you one more piece to the puzzle.

There are three YouTube channels that I find especially helpful when looking for inspiration.

Architectural Digest

https://www.youtube.com/@Archdigest

For the most part I watch their videos because I have an interest in architecture. A recent video showed a futuristic home with detachable rooms! Sounds like a setting I could add to one of my stories. 

Another video compared Disney animated castle interiors to real castles. The presenter went into detail with comparisons and history without being dry or boring. So, if I want to use something similar in one of my fantasy stories, I have a starting point.

 

The Met

https://www.youtube.com/@metmuseum

The Met museum's channel has videos about art, music, interviews and performances.  You never know what you might see that will inspire a story idea. They go into detail in their relatively short videos, so you can end up watching quite a few of them at a time. .

 

Library of Congress

https://www.youtube.com/@loc

As with The Met, the LOC includes a lot of information about history, interviews and special events. They sponsor a yearly national book festival, and you can watch the presentations online. 

Even if you aren’t able to physically visit the museums and libraries. There are options for research or just to learn something new. You never know what will spark an idea or help you to imagine a world that’s a perfect fit for your story.