DO YOU FIND THE HOLIDAYS INSPIRING?

            Since we’ve been talking about inspiration lately, what with traveling and all, and now this being the holiday season, I thought I’d expand things a bit.

            Do you find the holidays, whatever they are, inspiring?

            For me, I just take them as another day off, or wanting to get them overwith!

THE MEANING

            Without getting specific, some people get all into the meanings of each individual holiday. There are many, some which we get off, while if you are in retail, you may not get any off. In fact, if you work retail, holidays may be the worst or the best days of the year for you.

            The meaning of these holidays can be inspiring for various reasons.

A particular holiday may be integral to the plot line of your story.

It can be atmosphere to color your story.

It may not be part of the actual story but the inspiration for something completely different.

WHEN A HOLDAY INSPIRES SOMETHING ELSE

            When one thinks of the “holiday season” which we usually refer to as the end of the year from Halloween to Christmas, many stories may be inspired from this both directly and indirectly. Yet, the story itself may have nothing to do with the holidays. It may not even take place during that time of year.

WHEN A HOLIDAY DIRECLTY INSPIRES THE STORY

            When the holiday directly inspires a story, there are plenty of examples. I don’t even have to name them as there are so many titled movies, for example.

            I just did a short story for a holiday themed anthology that was published in late October.

USING HOLIDAYS IN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY

            I’ve brought this up before but it’s worth a mention. Using holidays in made up worlds to color those worlds, such as in world building is a good way to make these worlds more realistic. However, has any holiday directly inspired you if you write this type of genre?

            Personally, no holiday has ever inspired me in either my science fiction or fantasy novels.

            That’s just me.

            Has one of the holidays inspired you in one of your made up worlds?

THE BIG PICTURE

            As writers and authors, we draw inspiration from wherever we can get it. This can include holidays. Never look a gift horse in the mouth. If it works for you, use it!

            Personally, it hasn’t worked for me yet, but while right now, I have a different view of the holidays from a lot of people, that doesn’t mean that one day, it might not happen for me.

            For some of you, the holidays, whatever they might be (even the obscure ones) might be the perfect inspiration for your next great novel.

            Never forget the big picture. While plots do come out of thin air, something gives you that spark. Never ignore it. Even I won’t ignore a good holiday if it nudges me the right way.

SUMMARY

            Inspiration can come from anyplace. All it takes is your imagination.

            Use it wisely.

            Happy writing!