Unexpected Ideas: 3 Unusual Places That Sparked My Stories
A common question asked of many artists is, “Where do you get your ideas?”
Of course, the honest answer is, “I have no idea,” but that doesn’t add to the mystique artists often cultivate. Somewhere along the way, creatives worked out the story that they got their inspiration from “muses” or “the universe.”
That has not been my experience.
The creative spark comes from God. Not because artists have a special “muse-like” connection with Him, but because He’s the source of all creation and creativity. When we imitate His design through our own work, we tap into a stream of unexpected ideas that push our creativity forward.
Over time, the stories in my library have been sparked in three unusual places where those ideas have found me. If you’re curious about where unexpected ideas might come from, these may surprise you.
1. Unexpected Ideas from Songs
Steve Taylor once wrote a song called “Innocence Lost.” It tells the story of a Christian woman sharing the gospel with an inmate. I was drawn to the collision of the holy and the profane and ended up writing my first play, Innocence Lost (shocking, I know!). While the storyline eventually went in a different direction, that song was the unexpected starting point.
Another time, Paul Simon’s “Darling Lorraine” inspired me to write a one-act play called “Newman Memorial.” Its rocky love story gave me material worth developing further. Truth be told, it would be a fun, Nicholas Sparks-type romance at some point.
It is the songs that tell stories—especially ones tied to values I connect with—that often spark unexpected ideas. In Innocence Lost, it was the truth that Jesus’ redemption reaches even those who seem far-gone. In Newman Memorial, it was the idea that a marriage relationship is worth fighting for.
And yes, even the whimsical Parry Gripp song “Space Unicorn” still whispers of a story begging to be told someday.
2. Unexpected Ideas from Collisions
Stephen King has said he gets ideas when two unrelated things collide in his mind. That’s exactly how the Pearl Saga was born.
After reading Jesus’ parable of the hidden treasure in a field, I began wondering how that treasure got there. Around the same time, I revisited the parable of the pearl of great price—and in my imagination, it became a comet crashing into a field. From there, a curious boy discovered it.
While little of that original vision survived into Showdown in the Yukon, it was still an unexpected idea that set everything in motion.
Songs added to the mix of other stories as well. “For the Benefit of Mr. Kite” was influenced by a metaphor in The 77s’ “Kites Without Strings.” The metaphor became a story of its own—a kite learning that the string holding it back was actually the thing that allowed it to soar. I fell in love with the use of homophones “taut” and “taught,” and couldn’t let it go.
3. Unexpected Ideas from the Bible
One of the richest sources of unexpected ideas in my writing has been the Bible itself.
Take my book Fish Tales, for example. While reading about the Exodus, I wondered what the fish of the Red Sea thought when people walked on dry land through their home. That image led me to consider what Jonah’s fish might have experienced, and even the fish watching Jesus walking on water.
Looking through the eyes of sea creatures helped me see fresh lessons for both fish and humans—and reminded me that God designs tailor-made experiences for each of us.
Where Do Your Unexpected Ideas Come From?
These are just a few of the unexpected ideas that have sparked my stories—songs, collisions, and the Bible. Each one started as a surprising spark that grew into something much larger.
Now I’d love to hear from you: Where do your unexpected ideas come from? Drop your answer in the comments below—I’d be fascinated to compare notes.
