Okay, it’s the idea mill, and one small gripe.
I look at a lot of stuff on the internet, but it isn’t all on my web browser. I have an RSS feed and I love Zite Magazine. This is where I get those odd ideas that enhance the stories.
My Muse, Lorelei, is great for inspiration on characters and plot. She isn’t a lot of help on the little things that make science fiction, fantasy, and paranormal stories work.
The stuff that’s coming out recently includes an article about prehistoric terror birds. (I wrote about them once, years ago.) The Russians think they will be able to clone a mammoth. A new comet has been spotted. There was also a breakin at a Nevada cave that holds archeological treasures. The other one that stuck with me this week is that ravens are capable of trading up for better treats.
What could a writer do with all that? A comet marks something or other, and an artifact must be recovered from a cave to bring about the next ice age. The thief doesn’t know which item it is, only the raven can tell him. Don’t judge, I made that up in 30 seconds.
I learned that Zite magazine is changing. They have been absorbed by someone called Flipboard. They promise that Zite won’t go away, and it’s going to be better than ever. Yeah, that’s what always happens. I’m the guy who still has an XM radio. I still miss the XM format and channels they had too. I’m not holding my breath for Zite’s future.
There have been some awesome science fiction art pieces on Deviant art lately. I don’t have to use Zite to browse here, but I do. I find a lot of inspiration in art.
Here are a couple of websites that aren’t just cool, they can be sources for story items too. The first one is called Retronaut. It’s full of old advertisements and stories from the past. Most of it is outrageous stuff, but it can enhance a science fiction story or a steampunk story.
The second one is called Dude I Want That . This one is full of more modern stuff, but I could sure pirate some of it into a story.
I get all my archeology and mythology stuff through Zite and my RSS feed. While they also provide modern stuff, I find the two websites more helpful with science fiction projects.
It looks like I’ll probably need a replacement for Zite pretty soon. What do you folks know about that you can share with me?
What sites inspire you in your fiction? Come on, share with the world.
Entertaining Stories 