Tuesday, August 18, 2009

An Idea Woman


IN THE NEWS: 1,224-pound cupcake sets record as world's largest. Read more HERE.

Just spent a great weekend with the family. So on Sunday after everyone left, I took a load off and read the paper. (A real treat in my house)

Anyhew... low and behold I open up the "Life" section of our paper and eventually come to the "Pets" section and... voila! I start to laugh. No, actually, I really start cracking up.

So I quickly showed my husband the article who then looked at me blankly.

ME: "Isn't this great?" I exclaimed.

HIM: (who only shrugged)

ME: (frustrated with his cluelessness) "Oh, my gosh, don't you see? I don't know how, but I am SO using this for a scene in my next book!"

HIM: He laughed. "Oh, so you steal your ideas?"

ME: "Heck, yes!" LOL!

Hey, when an idea lands in your lap like this, it's just too good to ignore. :)

You think Law and Order just coincidentally come up with plots that mirror headlines in the paper? I've seen plenty of good articles that have made me wish I wrote suspense or mystery, but this is the first time I could actually use something for my genre.

Of course, the way the article is written in the paper, you wouldn't think instant hilarity. (Like me) But, I know with a few tweaks, I could make it really funny. I'm psyched!

Have you ever gotten any idea for your book through the newspaper?

13 comments:

Chicki Brown said...

I've taken bits and pieces of stories I've seen in the news (like Devon's Hollywood stalker) but never used them for a whole story.

Stephanie Faris said...

Ah yes. Or through the news. Dateline NBC is actually a great place to get ideas...but I write romance so I follow the more featury sorts of things.

PatriciaW said...

I get snippets of ideas all the time. The ones that really strike me as having potential, I keep a file of.

Tana said...

You're not stealing silly...you're heavily inspired ;)

Jill Kemerer said...

Definitely! Real life is so much stranger than fiction!

Jen said...

I get ideas from everywhere! The grocery store, the gas station, books, movies, magazines...they surround me and pummel me until I take out a pen and paper and write them down!

Jen

Regina Quentin said...

I have just relearned the importance of the good old newspaper. I have started to read it more often and indeed, it has opened my mind.

Good question. Thanks.

Lesley Speller said...

I steal stuff that happen to my friends all the time. hehehe

Beth Mann said...

Absolutely! I don't discriminate when it comes to getting ideas. I actually got one idea from the door of a bathroom stall...yikes!

Kara said...

Yes I do. I often come across items that I think would make a great story, or at least a leapboard for one!

Bella said...

Oh yes. There're no original things out there. You take what catches your psyche and give it a twist. Good luck writing.

Jennifer Shirk said...

Beth: a bathroom stall? LOL!
It had to be a whopper of an idea! :)

Jessica Nelson said...

But what was the article? LOL! Now you've got me curious...
Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be funny. I still think about how your book made me laugh.