Tag Archives: Peggy Jaeger

The other day a woman I know asked me, very innocently, “where do you get your ideas for your stories?” This is a question EVERY writer in history has probably been asked. The follow up to the question was, “I mean, you live a pretty sheltered life. You don’t travel much, you’re not famous, and you’re middle aged.”  (See what I meant by innocently?!?) “Where do you find the inspiration for your stories?”

No, I didn’t deck her. Wanted to, but didn’t.

I realize that for people who don’t write, either for a living, or because to them – like me – writing is their oxygen, this is a valid question. I can only answer for myself and no other writer, so I will.

Inspiration for my stories usually starts with character for me. I read about someone, or see an interesting face on the street, and I start to wonder about them. Who they are, what job do they have, what tragedies have they suffered. Then I concoct a little life scenario in my head about them. If they’ve suffered a loss, how has it affected them? Did they just leave a long-term relationship, and if so, why?  Do they have children, or do they even want them. What is interesting about them? What kinds of foods do they like and dislike? What would it take to make them happy? All these things run through my mind by just seeing someone with a thought-provoking face.

Once I have that person figured out, I look for their foil. If my main character likes Chinese food, this one may hate it, etc. Core values are very important to me because people basically don’t change. Behavior can change, but deep down we stay pretty much the same unless something so drastic happens in our lives that causes us to fundamentally change who we are. I’ve had people say to me, “wow, are you a cynic or what? People change everyday.” To that I usually respond, just because an alcoholic isn’t drinking, it doesn’t mean they’re not an alcoholic anymore. It means they are controlling their behavior, but deep down, they will always be an alcoholic. You can agree or disagree with me, but that’s what I believe, and it’s how I build my characters.

So, after I have the two main people in my mind I want to write about, I run plotlines in my head. This is where being a chronic insomniac is a good thing. I lay awake most nights, trying to sleep, but usually having it allude me. To pass the time, I think up scenarios to throw the two people I’ve imagined up into. Recently, I wrote a story about an Olympic figure skater. Guess where the inspiration for that came from? I love TOP CHEF and never miss a season. I wrote a story about a chef with the tagline Top Chef meets The Bodyguard.

Inspiration is all around us, every day, and everywhere. I guess I just hone in on the facets that mean the most to me, imagination-wise, and go from there.

So, that’s where the ideas for my stories come from. Where do yours come from? Let me know. I’m really interested in hearing about that.

Those of you who know me personally and have heard me speak, know there is little doubt that I grew up in Brooklyn, NY. My diction, the way I can’t pronounce the letters “er ” at the end of words ( I say “mutha” for “mother”) and my oft times nasal twang all give my birthplace a shout out.  So instead of calling  part of this site “Talk to Me,” I wanted you to really hear my voice when I said it, so “Tawk to me” is how it would sound if we were face to face.

This got me to thinking about my writing and writing in general when you want to bring your characters to life. The United States language is a huge mix of  accents, colloquialisms, and  cliched metaphors all melded together to form our wonderful country.  No one speaks the same way as someone else, and neither should your characters. They can share phrases, accents, and even diction, but each character should “sound” different even if they are from the same place.

I lived in Wisconsin for seven years and the natives called a water fountain a “bubbler,” and soda, “pop.”   In Brooklyn, my aunt called “Oil”, “Earl,” as in “they delivered some earl to the burna ( Burner!) yesterday and now I’ve got to pay for it.”

Wouldn’t you recognize someone who was from Ireland, if they said, “aye” and ‘Tis?” Or our neighbors to the north when they end every sentence with “eh?” Valley girls in California  spew “Oh, m’Gawd! and “Fer sures!” to this day. In the U.K. the words “Brilliant” and “bloody” are descriptive staples. Australians call each other “Sheila” and “Mate.”

Southerners say “Hey,” while northerners say “Hi.” Highly educated people wouldn’t think of saying “Gotta” or “lotta,” and my cousins would never end a sentence with “Don’t you agree?” They’d be more likely to say, “ya know?”

I live in New Hampshire now. Wicked weather, eh? (Get it?!)

So, “TAWK TO ME.” Tell me something, ask me a question, give me some needed guidance.  Just “TAWK TO ME.”