The old dictum (Write about
what you know.) is generally good advice. That’s probably why several authors have created
successful cozy mystery series based on their hobbies (i.e. gardening,
quilting, or cooking). Out of habit, I still thumb through scientific journals.
When I read how a few mutations (changes) could turn a bird flu virus into one
that can infect humans, I knew that I had the basis for a medical thriller. I
called it Coming Flu.
Many authors looking for
tax write offs, base their novels on vacation spots, such as the Caribbean
islands.
I’m not as smart. My next novel Ignore the Pain was based on a coca
tea bag, postcards, and other cheap souvenirs that I collected on a trip to
Bolivia. I didn’t get a tax write off and the location is grittier than a
tropical isle. Readers may be pleased to know my souvenirs did not include a
llama fetus from the Witches’ Market in La Paz, Bolivia.
But
you don’t have to travel far for ideas. Have you ever wandered down a street in
an old section of your home town and wondered what happened behind those
facades last year, ten years ago, or even a century ago? Or just go a nearby
mall and “people” watch.
Advertisements are under-utilized
sources of ideas (particularly humor) for novels. Consider the endorsements
of weight loss regimes and products on TV. The sizes of some of the servings of
food in these promotions make even small salad plates look large. And many of
those “delicious” shakes are nauseating. In my medical mystery Murder:A New Way to Lose Weight, readers get to see how desperate diet doctors
can be. They might even be murderers.
But
other ads for clothing, cars, and sexual performance medications on TV are also
promising. Don’t’ forget those Friday night TV shows, which are thinly covered
hour-long advertisements for bridal gowns.
Bug and I would love to hear about your favorite sources of
ideas for writing.
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