Magic Thursday: Inspiration by C.T. Green

In composing this post on inspiration, I had a good think about what inspires us as authors. I believe that we share inspiration with artists, musicians, sculptors, poets, photographers and other authors – everyone who belongs to the creative community.

 We cross genres to obtain inspiration and often do so without really thinking about it. I’ve never stopped to consider, when I look at a photograph of a gorgeous man which strikes me as the image of my latest hero, that I’m being inspired by someone who shares with me a creative bond.

Quite a few authors I know listen to music and I’ve often found inspiration in lyrics – they’ve helped me visualise a scene or given me new inspiration for a particular area I’ve been stuck on.

A little inspiration

A good example of fascinating lyrics is Neko Case’s Furnace Room Lullaby* –

I twisted you over and under to take you,

The coals went so wild as they swallowed the rest.

I twisted you under and under to break you,

I just couldn't breathe with your throne on my chest.

All night, all I hear, all I hear's your heart;

How come, how come?


I'm wrapped in the depths of these deeds that have made me,

I can't bring a sound from my head though I try,

I can't seem to find my way up from the basement,

A demon holds my place on earth 'til I die.



The lyrics, combined with the haunting melody are evocative of many things for me, some might love the song, others hate it, but each person who reads the lyrics or listens to the song will take something from the words.

More inspiration

It’s a two way street – authors have often been the source of inspiration for artists or musicians. We all share the need to be inspired, whether it’s visual, aural or written.

It can often make the difference when you’re stuck on exactly what your hero looks like (my cp and I both had a hero who’s name started with ‘D’ and the picture I found suited both our boys – we decided to share * vbg *).


 Art, poetry and music can help us with how to give more emotion to a certain scene – a particular line evokes the feeling we want to portray. This poem is to me, very romantic – Keats wrote it to his future wife when they were separated for a long period of time…

Inspired yet?

“I almost wish we were butterflies,

And liv’d but three summer days –

Three such days with you I could

Fill with more delight than

Fifty common years could ever contain.”

John Keats

Inspiration is important to any creative soul and I love the fact that as authors, we can translate a visual image or song into something that will inspire our readers. It’s also a damn good excuse for a break from all those sticky scenes and characters that don’t always do what they’re told!


*Lyrics have been edited.