Into the Depths for Inspiration by Barbara Avon

Coming to you today about where inspiration comes from is the talented author Barbara Avon. And so, without further ado...

Recently, in conversation with a reader, they asked me where my ideas come from. “Write what you know, right?”

The answer is so much more complex. Authors have often been advised to “write what they know” but I think that is far too restrictive. If we only write what we know, we are limited and so is our imagination.

My inspiration comes from a dark corner of my soul. A place of dreams; a different dimension. This is not to say my stories are dark, (not necessarily), what it means is that words flow from somewhere where they are otherwise hidden. A place deep inside.

We have all seen that quote floating around the internet attributed to the great Ernest Hemingway: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” This quote best sums up my own writing style. No fear; no holds barred. In writing what scares you most, or in writing outside of your usual norm, you are opening yourself up to new worlds – ones you never even knew you were capable of visiting. It's these raw, unpredictable emotions that look best on the page.

Anything can inspire: a sunset, the way an old man sits by himself on a park bench, a broken glass. It's an Author's obligation to take those things and describe them in a way that makes the reader look at life just a little bit differently – even if the Author has never seen an old man sitting alone on a bench. An Author's eye is vastly different than that of non-writers. I will go as far as to say that we have voices in our heads that colour the world in a way that allows the hue to shine. All of a sudden, it's not an old man on a bench. It's a young man trapped in an old man's body and he is not feeding the birds, he is seeking release from his imprisonment so he can visit his young wife who believes she lost him in battle. Thus is the prologue to his story. A fantasy love story. A story that the Author bridles from their imagination.

We are lucky, as story-tellers, to be able to wear many different hats. You can't do that if you simply “write what you know.” We don't know it all. That's why we make stuff up.

Barbara Avon is the author of ten novels. She is also the author of three children’s books. Her books have been received favorably across the board, entertaining readers with an almost “movie-like” quality. Barbara has written since she was young, pursuing her dreams and vowing to write for as long as she can. She has worked at several different media publications and will continue to publish novels until “her pen runs dry”. She believes in paying it forward and you can read about this belief as the theme is given voice in most of her books. Avon lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, Danny. Visit her website at https://www.barbaraavon.com/

Since Halloween is on its way, pick up your copy of Barbara's book "The Simpleton" here! Also, you can read her book "Speed Bump" for free here!