2. Inspiration
After deciding that I wanted to try writing as a creative outlet, my next step was figuring out what kind of writing. Did I want to try a screenplay? I had written a script in college as part of a screen writing class; it had been really intimidating. Could I really write a movie? But through the guidance of the class, I did manage to write a complete script.
After deciding that I wanted to try writing as a creative outlet, my next step was figuring out what kind of writing. Did I want to try a screenplay? I had written a script in college as part of a screen writing class; it had been really intimidating. Could I really write a movie? But through the guidance of the class, I did manage to write a complete script.
I didn’t want to get bogged down with all the formatting I’d need to do for the script. It had been so long, I would need to figure it all out again and I just wanted to write. Could I write a book? Through the years, I had picked up books and wondered how an author had been able to come up with so many words that they could form a whole novel. Back in college I had thought trying to write a screenplay was out of the question, so a book seemed truly impossible.
However, in my new, happier state of mind, I found myself dropping historical novels and biographies in favor of chic lit novels. I love a good romantic comedy and chic lit is often a rom com (as “the industry” would call it) in book form. I had been getting so much pleasure out of reading them, I began to wonder if I could write one myself.
So, I knew I wanted to write and quite possibly, I wanted to write a chic lit novel, but what did I want it to be about? I still needed an idea.
One night, my husband and I started watching MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. and I was introduced to Henry Cavill. After we finished the movie, I looked him up in photos and interviews. Not only is he a beautiful human being, but he comes with an English accent. What more could a girl want? I started to wonder in what world a normal person could ever hope to meet and possibly date Henry Cavill. Suddenly I realized I had an idea for my book!
How would a normal person get to meet and hang out with someone like Henry? I worked as an assistant at a movie studio. We interacted with talent on our movies. They always say go with what you know, and I knew about this. I could write about this.
I was inspired! This was my story! I started having ideas, but needed some help forming them. My amazing husband started to go on long walks with me after work, to help talk out thoughts and story lines with me. He responded to my questions around love triangles and dating entanglements with thoughtful opinions. I was so grateful that he was applying his English major and years reviewing scripts to my own story. There was absolutely no judgement in a genre that I knew held no previous interest to him.
Along those long walks, I also decided I wanted to set parts of the book in New Orleans. It was a place I had always wanted to go and I hoped if I was really going to try and write this, it would finally push me to travel there and check it out.
This inkling of an idea was starting to come together…
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