Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Story Ideas, June Movie Preview



It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The awesome co-hosts for the June 3 posting of the IWSG are Victoria Marie Lees, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and C. Lee McKenzie!

And co-host/IWSG Admin C. Lee McKenzie has a new book out - That Moonwater Witch! Find it here.

June 3 question - Do most of your story ideas come from one place (the news, dreams, etc.) or do they hit from all over the place?


A lot of my story ideas come from shows and movies. My Cassa series was inspired by the original 1970’s Battlestar Galactica series. With a hint of Star Wars and Star Trek thrown in. The Frank Frazetta drawing for Battlestar Galactica stuck with me and formed the basis of the story.

Dragon of the Stars came from a song by Ayreon, Dragon on the Sea. I took the lyrics to heart – what if the queen sends out with her finest man not a sailing ship but a star ship?


Where do your ideas come from?


June Movie Preview

Here are the theatrical releases for June. Descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

5 –

Masters of the Universe

Director: Travis Knight
Stars: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba
A young man on Earth discovers a fabulous secret legacy as the prince of an alien planet, and must recover a magic sword and return home to protect his kingdom.
I HAVE THE POWER…to skip this movie!


Signal One

Director: Jonathan Sobol
Stars: Isabelle Fuhrman, Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis, Josh Hutcherson
It tells the story of a computer scientist who is recruited by a tech billionaire to work on a project that could change humanity's place in the universe.
Sports a good, solid cast…oh, and that kid from The Hunger Games.


12 –


Disclosure Day
Director: Steven Spielberg Stars: Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Eve Hewson
If you found out we weren't alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?
A movie about Spielberg’s tax audit.


19 –

Toy Story 5

Directors: McKenna Harris, Andrew Stanton
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Tom Hanks, Annie Potts, Tim Allen
Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang's jobs are challenged when they're introduced to electronics, a new threat to playtime.
Didn’t the toys all grow old and die in the fourth movie? Or am I thinking of another film?


The Death of Robin Hood

Director: Michael Sarnoski
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård
Grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder, Robin Hood finds himself gravely injured after a battle he thought would be his last. In the hands of a mysterious woman, he is offered a chance at salvation.
It’s Robin Hood minus all the fun…


26 –


Supergirl
Director: Craig Gillespie
Stars: Milly Alcock, Eve Ridley, Matthias Schoenaerts, Jason Momoa
Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, joins forces with an unlikely companion on an interstellar journey of vengeance and justice when an unexpected adversary strikes too close to home.
Helen Slater looks great for her age!

Do your story ideas come from mostly one place? Anyone else get ideas from movies or music? And what movies coming to theaters catch your attention this month?
Catch you next on July 1!

29 comments:

  1. Those sound like amazing movies! I love that summer brings new films of the highest quality.
    I never saw Battlestar Galactica, and only the newer (JJ Abrams) Star Trek. But I think I've seen most of Star Wars.

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  2. Got here early today! There's endless inspiration to be had from movies. I'm not sure one directly inspired me but it all seeps in subliminally.

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  3. I like the idea of being inspired by a song.

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  4. I can see how you're inspired by songs with how important music is to you.

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  5. I've definitely gotten inspiration from music, whether it's an idea for a whole story or just where to take an existing story next.
    I'll probably see Toy Story 5 but I do think they should have stopped at 3...

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  6. It's interesting to see where writers' inspiration comes from. That Battlestar Galactica art took me back to my childhood.
    Congrats to Lee!

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  7. Yay for Lee and her book release!

    Really? Not a Heman fan? We introduced our kids to the show many years ago and my daughter became a megafan. I mean, at least the shows had morals -- much better than the slop they release these days just to keep kids busy.

    Movies and music, eh? I've had songs spark ideas before, but usually it goes the other way -- I have an idea and start hearing a song in my head that goes with it.

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  8. Wait...is Masters of the Universe He-Man and Skeletor? That's crazy, if so!

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  9. We are HUGE Battlestar Galactica fans! How fun to know you were influenced by that amazing series. hugs!

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  10. I like the ocean sounds in that song. Signal One sounds interesting, but I'll skip Supergirl!

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  11. Your inspirations led to great books.

    Think I will hold out for July and Minions and Monsters!

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  12. All the toys grew up and died? For realz? I'm outta the movie loop these days. Though I did want to see that Huge Jackman farmer mystery one. Wishing you a great week, Alex!

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  13. Melissa, giving away your age there...

    Crystal, HeMan came out long after my childhood so I don't relate.

    Katherine, good for you!

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  14. I did not think that there was going to be a TOY STORY 5. But whatever---I'm damn thrilled about it.

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  15. Old Sci-Fi concept art inspires me, too. Star Wars is great, of course, but when I look at Ralph McQuarrie's concept art for Star Wars I feel like there's this whole other movie that would have been just as great, if only it had been made.

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  16. I think music is one of my main inspirations. That, and real life, people I meet, stories I hear, and my own imagination.

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  17. Music, musicals, books... the best places to get inspiration :-) These new movies seem a little too scary for me. I'll stick to finishing reading Dracula ;-)

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  18. I've often been inspired by other people's work too--movies, TV shows, poems, books. Creativity feeds creativity. @samanthabwriter from
    Balancing Act

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  19. Most of my story ideas comes from dreams.

    Watched the 80s adaptation of Masters of the Universe last weekend. Going to give the remake a try. The new Supergirl movie and maybe Scary Movie too.

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  20. Not sure we'll watch any of these movies. Besides, we're so behind on all of these kinds of things that all the older movies are still new to us. :)

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  21. Saw the Mandalorian and Grogu. It was fun. Looking forward to Supergirl, I liked the new Superman movie. Really wished they had stopped Toy Story after part 3.

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  22. Hi, Alex,
    The Super Girl movie sounds like something that I would like to see.
    Take care.
    Shalom shalom

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  23. It doesn't surprise me that your story ideas come from movies. I've seen a lot of ads for Supergirl. May have to watch that one.

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  24. I love movies and perhaps I do take something away from watching them to put into my writing. Have an amazing June! Congratulations to C. Lee's new book!!!

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  25. I knew you'd say movies were a great source for your ideas. You're such a movie buff. Thanks for mentioning That Moonwater Witch today. Appreciate it.

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  26. I’m super excited for Supergirl. Finally Jason Momoa gets to play Lobo! I’ve been wondering how he’d do in the role since seeing the Lobo character in the Krypton series.

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  27. A movie about Spielberg’s tax audit--that sounds fun. The Death of Robin Hood doesn't. I wish Hollywood would stop destroying our heroes.

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  28. I'm not even sure where most of my ideas come from. Not dreams and not movies, but beyond that I can't say.

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  29. Haha Josh isn't a kid anymore. lol Not even tempted to see he-man. And this Supergirl is very different from previous versions.

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