Inspired to Write: Getting inspiration from video games?!

Hi guys! Welcome back to Too Many Books to Count—I’m so glad you stopped by. I can hardly believe that it’s the last week of June, but that means it’s also the last week in our series! I feel like we only just started… but I really have gotten a lot out of this series, and I’ve been a lot better about remembering to look for inspiration in places where I wouldn’t normally think to look. I hope it’s been a help to you, too.

This month, as you know, we’ve been talking about inspiration. We’ve been discussing the various ways we writers find inspiration, from the books we read to the places we travel in our everyday lives, and this week, we're taking a really fun look at the final two ways I've personally been finding inspiration for my writing.

Inspired to Write: Getting inspiration from video games?!

I know what you’re thinking. Video games tend to be the bane of a writer’s existence, because they take time away from writing. But I’m not saying that you should be gaming instead of writing. No, I’m saying that you’re probably already gaming, so why not use those games as inspiration for the things you’re going to write while you’re not gaming?

See, there are lots of things in video games that can inspire us. Whether it’s inspiration for the choreography of a battle scene, or an idea behind a character you hadn’t quite nailed down yet, video games are a virtual treasure trove of ideas—and, just like with movies and television, it’s not stealing if all you’re getting out of it is inspiration and ideas. After all, like we’ve talked about before, you can’t copyright an idea.

Personally, I have a certain fondness for watching people play video games. Sure, I like playing them, too, but I really love watching other people play. There’s just something extra nostalgic in it for me, in the memory of watching my older brother play video games when we were growing up (don’t worry, he let me play too when I was old enough to know what I was doing). So, for me, it’s more about watching the game than about playing it. And, fortunately, that means I can use things like Twitch and YouTube to get a good video game fix and a hefty dose of inspiration along the way.

I’m sure, however, that a lot of you aren’t like me. In fact, I know it. I know you like to game. How do I know it? Because it’s the thing to do, and it has been since I was a kiddo. Gaming is fun, it’s a great pastime, and it’s honestly a great way to connect with younger generations, which is something we writers really do need to do. But that’s beside the point.

You’re going to be gaming anyway. We all know you are. So why not use that time as an extra time to find some writing inspiration?

I know, a lot of you don’t game in the same genre in which you write, but so what? Who says you can’t get inspiration for a romantic comedy from a horrifying video game? There’s always something to be found, as long as you keep your eyes open to find it.

And trust me, you’ll be glad you opened your eyes to see it.

Be sure to check back in on Thursday, for the finale in our inspirational series!

[love]

{Rani Divine}