Sometimes, I hear my father in that question. He’d say, “What possessed you to do such a thing,” for times I should have thought twice about something I did. That’s the voice of my doubts and disbelief.
“Life inspired me to write it” might sound like a throwaway answer, but it’s very true
Generally, the life experiences of writers enter into a story, whether or not the details in the story directly correspond to their lives. All the people, relationships, emotions, moments, and impressions of one’s life experience are the reservoir for art. Our imaginations pick up these pieces, usually subconsciously, and make something new out of it all.
Specifically, for my novel Left Unsaid, the inspiration came first from my experience as a preacher’s kid. I understand the anxiety and sadness of leaving home to move, perhaps to a completely alien place, starting simply when the phone rang for dad during dinner, followed by a long conversation with a lot of “uhuhs,” questions, and cheery laughter. Our family knew then that another church wanted dad as their pastor. The call would be followed by a time of discernment as to whether the phone call was actually a call from God. I moved twice as a boy on such occasions. They were both traumatic, life-changing, perfect fodder for a story. Though none of the details, places, or characters from those moments entered into my novel, their inspiration did, and something completely new evolved.
After reflecting on my character Gideon, I can see something else that probably influenced the novel, namely, my experience of dyslexia. In the 60s, before disability had a name, the diagnosis for it was, “He’s just “a little slow.” I noticed I wasn’t reading as quickly as other kids, halting, repeating lines. It frustrated me, I cried, felt crushed, fell behind, still managing to get by on my other strengths.
I’m still a slow reader, talk slower than most. My dyslexia is mild by most standards, but it’s made me pay closer attention to words and to the work those words are doing in a text, in stories specifically.
As Malcolm Gladwell says that disabilities can be “desirable difficulties,” like weapons toward success. He speaks of disabilities like dyslexia this way: “What is learned out of necessity is inevitably more powerful than the learning that comes easily.” I try to view dyslexia in this way.
I’m sure my own experience of dyslexia must have inspired Gideon’s character in some way. He isn’t a great student, struggled with anxiety, but found his forte in music and writing.
Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath was the first adult novel that grabbed me start to finish. I was sucked in by the characters’ plight during the dust bowl. I could feel, not just see, Tom Joad crouching, the dirt sifting through his fingers. I was hooked on storytelling. I can rightly say Steinbeck inspired me.
Can novels inspire other writers? Absolutely. So, isn’t that cheating? Sort of. And it happens all the time, not as plagiarism but as learning. Writers learn from other writers the way kids learn to talk from adults.
My most immediate inspiration for Left Unsaid was Barbara Kingsolver and her novel, Demon Copperhead. The story is written in first person and follows the boy, Demon, through his high school years in Appalachia. He suffers from poverty, homelessness, and drugs. Kingsolver’s characters are brilliantly drawn, so authentic and down to earth, without pretense. The style and quirky voice of the narrative captured me as much as anything else. My heart beat faster. I knew I wanted to write a story with such authentic characters and stylistic integrity. That was the moment Gideon and his world came to life for me.
Finally, what inspired me was the times we live in. I couldn’t help noticing the parallels of our times to the issues of the sixties: sexuality, racism, political division, generational divides, distrust of government, and debate over war. It was all ripe fodder waiting for a story to be told.
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