"Where do you get your ideas?"

It is the question that, I'm told, successful writers get asked to the point of exhaustion.  I wouldn't know, as I've yet to be very successful at writing, or really, much else.  Nevertheless, I have given the question some thought and I've developed a theory.

To me, it seems, writing is very much like cooking.

In both endeavors, one brings together a number of influences.  Meals that have been eaten and loved correspond to one's favorite books.  A writer remembers, even if only subconsciously, certain phrase, scenes, or bits of wordplay that make an impression, just as a cook remembers the flavors of ingredients, both individually and in the way that they work together.  A cook can learn a recipe from a book and do well, but it is only through experimentation and the occasional bit of random chance that new masterpieces are created.  Likewise, a writer can take any number of creative writing classes, but its only by trying new things that we grow in our craft.

Both are, in effect, a way to synthesize our experiences into something new.  But saying that means that we're influenced by the things we've read, seen, heard, and played.  All of that goes into our writing, together with the things that have happened in our lives.  So when someone (a theoretical someone, to be sure) asks me "where do you get your ideas?" the only true answer is, "I've lived for 37 years and counting."

So how does that factor into this blog?  Well, an old friend of mine recently recommended that I should post something every day if I want to build and maintain an audience. And indeed, he's probably right.  But I'm not certain I'll have anything insightful to write about writing every single day.  I will certainly type up everything interesting that happens along the way, and I certainly expect to have a lot to say about my results once I start getting things out there, but I can also see a point where my posts could devolve into "well, I wrote a bunch of stuff, but it hasn't gone up yet, thanks for dropping by."  And I don't want that.  I'd like things on this blog to always be substantive and always about writing.

However, I also think there's room in my life to blog about the things that inspire me.  The books I'm reading, the TV I'm watching, the games I'm playing.  And about those topics, I have a wealth of information and opinion to share.  So, to that end, I've created a second blog, A Writer After Hours.  That one will be updated every day, or every weekday at the very least,  with thoughts and commentary about the things that entertain me.  Some of it will be current like the ongoing Game of Thrones TV series, and others more retrospective, about the things that shaped my tastes growing up.

So, if you have an interest in just the writing side of my life, stay here.  If you're more curious about various entertainments, go there.  If you like both, by all means, follow both.  I don't mind a bit.