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
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!
Catch you next on July 1!
59 comments:
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.
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.
I like the idea of being inspired by a song.
I can see how you're inspired by songs with how important music is to you.
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...
It's interesting to see where writers' inspiration comes from. That Battlestar Galactica art took me back to my childhood.
Congrats to Lee!
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.
Wait...is Masters of the Universe He-Man and Skeletor? That's crazy, if so!
We are HUGE Battlestar Galactica fans! How fun to know you were influenced by that amazing series. hugs!
I like the ocean sounds in that song. Signal One sounds interesting, but I'll skip Supergirl!
Your inspirations led to great books.
Think I will hold out for July and Minions and Monsters!
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!
Melissa, giving away your age there...
Crystal, HeMan came out long after my childhood so I don't relate.
Katherine, good for you!
I did not think that there was going to be a TOY STORY 5. But whatever---I'm damn thrilled about it.
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.
I think music is one of my main inspirations. That, and real life, people I meet, stories I hear, and my own imagination.
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 ;-)
I've often been inspired by other people's work too--movies, TV shows, poems, books. Creativity feeds creativity. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
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.
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. :)
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.
Hi, Alex,
The Super Girl movie sounds like something that I would like to see.
Take care.
Shalom shalom
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.
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!!!
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.
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.
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.
I'm not even sure where most of my ideas come from. Not dreams and not movies, but beyond that I can't say.
Haha Josh isn't a kid anymore. lol Not even tempted to see he-man. And this Supergirl is very different from previous versions.
I'll need to rent a kid to go and see those movies or wait until they come to TV. I forgot how many of my books hailed from television, too.
That's cool that you got your ideas from movies and music. I guess some of my ideas have come from movies/books, so maybe that counts.
Oh my gosh, Alex! My husband LOVED Battlestar Galactica. The original television show with Lorne Green and Dirk Benedict. The robot Cylons. He would come to my house and we watched it together.
Congratulations C. Lee on your new release. All the luck with this book.
I'm a big Battlestar Galactica fan, both the original and the newer version. As a matter of fact, I just saw Dirk Benedict at a con last weekend. :D
The Death of Robin Hood sounds interesting. I'll have to check that one out.
I know how it feels to be inspired by fiction - books or movies. You start by almost writing fan fiction because you want to be part of that universe, and then your story changes, matures, evolves, and finally becomes your own.
Happy IWSG Day, Alex! I'm late posting, but I'm up. I love all your stories, but "Dragon of the Stars" is my favorite. That's because I could so relate to it. It's all about me, the reader! 😂
A lot of my ideas are when a story pisses me off. Either it was badly written, or the character made a choice that bothered me, or something turned out a weird way. I rewrite the story in my head the way it *should have* gone. With my own flourish and additions.
Mary, you rock.
Lidy, I remember that movie...
CD, more than one person has said that...
Lee, you're welcome.
Jacqui, I know. The film sounds so depressing.
Donna, very very very different....
Victoria, that's too cool!
Jean, that is awesome you saw him. And that he is still alive as I had no idea...
Louise, you rock!
Liz, that's a great way to tackle a story.
I get ideas from songs too—and I like associating songs with my books after written too…
love your movie comments - toy story 5? just couldn’t let it die…
happy summer!
Reading your blog all these years, I'm not surprised that your ideas are inspired by movies. :) Happy Writing!
Howdy Captain!
Makes sense that music moves you ;-) I've never heard that song before but I could swear it feels familiar, comfortably so.
I can't believe they're still making Toy Story films!
None of those movies captured my interest. :(
I've been disappointed in the movie selection in theaters recently, but I think the only one of these I want to see in the theater might be Supergirl, though I still watch the original and liked it well enough to buy on DVD. Sure, it's silly, but I love it anyway.
I'll have to tell my brother that Battlestar Galactica was the inspiration for your Cassa series. He loved the Battlestar Galactica series.
Happy Wednesday to you! I did go see The Mandalorian and Grogu it was entertaining. The previews for Disclosure Day did intrigue me a bit. Music and movies can be a great place to get inspiration. I am not feeling very inspired lately. Perhaps, I am just feeling blue and have nothing much left to say.
Peace and light
I love that one of your ideas came from a song!
There's all kinds of science fiction stories, movies and TV that have influenced my own stories. In exactly what way, I can't really say because I don't really think about it so much while I'm writing a story. I would say "Battlestar Galactic", the original series, was one of them. It was a favourite of mine when I was growing up back in the '70s and it added to my craze for space opera which was revived by "Star Wars" of that time. That's a neat painting by Frank Frazetta! I never knew he did one for "Battlestar Galactica". I wouldn't mind getting a print if I could find one somewhere.
The movie I've had my on since about a week ago has been "Disclosure Day". It's like finally Steven Spielberg is doing another science fiction film! I think that will be my movie of the summer.
That song on YouTube sounds really neat. I didn't get time to listen to the whole thing put I added it to my YouTube music playlist.
That's interesting. There was actually a comic book series by either Marvel or Darkhorse of "Star Wars" based on Ralph McQuarrie's work and early drafts of the storyline. I've read it and it's pretty neat.
Wow, that's cool to know. I didn't realize you'd based the series on Battlestar Galactica. We used to love that show!
I know I would be all over the place. May was a crazy month, but got through ll the birthdays( 8). The Robin Hood film sounds good as does the Spielberg film. I thought this was already done though..”My Favourite Martian,” Is Ray Walton and Bill Bixby in the film? lol. Ok they are slightly dead so that wouldn’t work. Hmmm, how many millions did they sink into that universe flick and what the heck is Idris Elba doing in it?
I loved the original Battlestar Galactia. Not so much the remake. Couldn't get through one episode. :-)
I'm often inspired by songs. In fact, I'm writing a whole anthology of stories at the moment based on a single album - one story per song.
Disclosure Day looks really good to me. Hopefully I will get around to watching some of these movies.
Late but here! I get scene ideas from songs, but I think my biggest idea influencer was watching Sailor Moon some 30 years ago. Amazing where we can find inspiration.
I think Supergirl is the one I want to see the most.
The story ideas for my books come from particular places: the Navy, my childhood, and (in the book I'm writing now) my time in a hardware store. My blog? Yeah, those ideas come from ALL over.
You've done well from your inspiration. It's fun here, reading everyone's inspirations. I think mine have come from humor in my life - I can always see the absurd in what I do.
As for movies - oh Alex - it's bleak these days. Big sigh! I remember when I hit the movie theater every Sunday. No more!
Helen Slater that was her name. the movie was doomed by the choice of Hart Boechner. We have not really gone back to theaters. Too much money and my husband falls asleep.
Diedre, they've been making them for twenty years now...
Sandra, please do!
Steven, that Frazetta painting is one of my favorite. And I'm also excited Spielberg is doing science fiction again.
Emaginette, we watched the whole series but it did have such a different vibe.
Kate, that is very cool!
Joanne, we don't go often anymore either.
"A movie about Spielberg’s tax audit"--ROTFLOL! Long-Suffering Husband and I saw the Mandalorian movie last weekend and could not believe how many previews we had to sit through. A half hour of them! My husband's comment at the end: none of those previews made the movie seem worth watching. I felt the same way.
Music and movies spark your ideas. It's cool how you rolled them into your own original series. Congrats!
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