I once read that ideas float upon the wind.
They present themselves to many people, but most don’t give them another thought. Even fewer act upon the ideas. And since everything begins with an idea, why would a story be any different?
When the inciting idea for the Awen Trilogy struck in 2011, I was living in a small cabin in the woods of North Georgia outside Dahlonega. If you’re not familiar, Dahlonega is an adorable, once-gold-mining town just shy of the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.
I had landed there after leaving my heart home on the Southern California coast. Then, the relationship I upended my life for didn’t work out, leaving me and my cat, Bugsy, trapped.
So there we were in Georgia — with no job, no money, and no way back — or out. A blanket of depression settled upon me, along with the anxiety I’d started having in SoCal.
Yet, my time in North Georgia was not without fruit.
I was honing my writing chops, churning out regular blog posts at That Rebel, and connecting with other writers. And I was writing a sassy women’s fiction novel set in the local area. Then, the story ideas that had flowed so easily, suddenly dried up.
Now, I have practiced meditation since getting sober in 1991. On that particular morning, I settled in a chair on the back deck. Behind me, the cabin hid me from the outer world. Before me lay a sun-dappled forest of Georgia hardwoods — oak, birch, beech, elm, dogwood, wild azalea.
In preparation for meditation, I took several deep breaths as I was taught all those years ago. Then, to anchor, I sent energetic roots down into Mother Earth. Unbidden, a thought popped into my head:
“What if something hitchhiked up my roots, into me, then escaped into the world?”
I know, I know. If you think I’m weird, you’re in good company. People have been telling me that my whole life.
You may or may not know this, but the point of meditation is to empty the mind of all thought. If one does occur, you’re to notice it, then turn back to the silence.
But that thought persisted.
For the next many days, it nagged at me, forcing me to consider the peculiar question and others that caromed from it.
What if something DID live inside Earth?
What would that something be?
Would it be friendly? Evil?
Why would it want out?
If it did travel up my energetic roots, how would it get out of me?
Through a sneeze or cough, like germs?
And if it managed to escape into the world, what would it do?
Wreak havoc?
Control minds?
Take over the world?
I’m not sure how long I pondered this notion. Days? Weeks? More? After all, I was depressed, remember? And writing a book. And blogging MUCH more frequently than I do today.
But I DO remember realizing at some point that I was at a standstill with my women’s fiction novel. No matter how much I allowed myself to ponder, agonize, and lollygag, those bright, shiny story ideas would no longer come.
I now know that this is my process.
When the ideas stop flowing, the story is done. But at the time, I had no clue this was the case.
Still, I couldn’t get that root idea out of my head.
So, I decided to give it more thought. Could I work the idea into a story? If so, what type of story would it be? A “thing” hitchhiking up an energetic root is not something one would stumble upon in regular fiction. In a metaphysical work, yes. Or a fantastical one. But a friend in SoCal had hit a wall trying to sell her metaphysical novel. So, fantasy it was.
And fantasy means magic. Which opens up new worlds.
Now, I had an inciting idea. And the notion that I could use it as a springboard for a fantasy novel. But that’s all I had. Nothing more.
Except for plenty of time to ponder.
~ la fin
This post began running long, so in a future one (probably next week’s), I will share how other ideas started glomming on. Like the Druid idea. And the William the Conqueror connection. And maybe the Reptilian/Hollow Earth brainstorm.
But for now, that’s enough from me, folks! It’s your turn:
I bet you’ve been struck by a story idea, too. Or maybe you’ve had an idea that inspired a career, a poem, a song, a new business, a hobby, a love, or some other fabulous life-affirming experience. Please share it with us in the comments. We’d love to read about it.
Part II: Inspiration Strikes - Now What?
From my heart to yours, Olivia/O.J.❤️
Pssst, tips are welcome:
Thank you for being here! If you enjoy my weekly essays from the heart, you might also like my books and serialized fiction (previews below). 📩
I absolutely love this. Thanks for sharing the origin story of your trilogy. It’s so thrilling to read about how writers stumble upon their idea for a book.
I love hearing about how other people get ideas for stories. Mine often start from seeing a visual image, like a photograph or a memory of one striking image.