Once in a while, I'll read author interviews on blogs, in magazines, on random websites. And I've noticed that often the interviewer asks who or what influences the author. The most common response is to rattle off the names of a few books and close family or friends. Nothing wrong with that, for sure.
But aren't we influenced by a lot more than that?
I love dashing, snarky heroes with a bittersweet streak. For books that shape those preferences, I can point to the Scarlet Pimpernel (always dashing, wry, brilliant!); The Prisoner of Zenda (Rudolf Rassendyll. I was IN LOVE.); Captain Blood and Scaramouche.
But how about movies? Iron Man, Indiana Jones, Han Solo, James T. Kirk, just discovered Jack Reacher. (Cheesy, but hilarious.) TV shows? Where would I be without Sherlock? Detective Kennex of "Almost Human" is becoming a favorite; the Doctor, Captain Hook from Once Upon A Time.
Childhood movies! I loved Disney! Basil of Baker Street, Prince Philip, Bernard from The Rescuers...
All of this feeds into my dearly beloved Bard. I wrote those stories...what, five years ago? Since writing them, my style and my knowledge of writing have matured. (Plus I joined a fantastic critique group!) Five years down the road, I still like the characters, the basic story line is still fun. But it could be so much better.
Here's the thing: been there, done that. Yes, the brilliant, lazy, foppish Bard is my favorite hero. Yes, the princess is snappy, cute, and feminine all at once. (Yes, I lack any modesty whatever.) But I've already written that story, and it's hard to find a spark of interest for something that's been done. Besides which, I've been afraid that if I rewrote it, it would either be too cutesy and lack any soul, or it would be too dramatic and lose the quirky fun of the first draft.
Until, that is, I watched Frozen.
For a little while now, I've joked that I could write a Disney movie. That thought came back while I watched Frozen. I want to write a Disney movie! They're magical, they're musical, they're fun, kids love them, they're lovely to look at....what's not to like?
What do Disney movies have that the Bard stories don't? We both have a spunky heroine, a cool hero, a dastardly villain, a love story...Magic. I don't have magic. There are three faeries, but they don't do anything magical.
So that sent me down a rabbit trail, thinking of magical things, and I came up with a Shiny New Idea. What if the Bard's storytelling conjures illusions? images of what he speaks of? And the more emotionally invested he becomes in his story, the more realistic it becomes, until he can actually talk something into existence. (That's definitely influenced by Cornelia Funke's "Inkheart", but I think the stories are distinct enough for it to work.) And if he's struggling with his love for the princess--his social superior--that adds an interesting emotional side.
I also think I could add depth by examining the question "What is true love? How is it practically demonstrated?"
I'm in the middle of a writing project, so this isn't anything anytime soon. And even if I get it written, the likelihood of a story actually winding up anywhere past the blogosphere is fraught with what-ifs and bet-nots. But it's a fun dream, and I think it's sparked a fun project.
Now...how would these powers influence reality?
