All writers have their own paths to coming up with ideas for their books. Reflecting back on my experiences crafting The Black Velvet Coat I realize there were three separate passageways to receiving inspirations for my novel. Here I describe those ways with just a few examples.
1. Through Intuition – Many of the scene seeds arrived while I was writing in community during a weekly writing group or day-retreat when given a word, phrase or picture as a prompt. I allowed my pen to go where it wanted and used my heart not my head to get the words down. I wrote all of my first drafts by hand and without an outline.
2. In My Dreams – Vivid dreams that I couldn’t let go of inspired my book. I found a black velvet coat at a yard sale that I loved but passed on it. That night I dreamed about it and the next morning knocked on my neighbor’s door and bought it for $10. Later I dreamed about Anne, an artist, putting her hand in the pocket of the coat and pulling out a key. And then again much later, I dreamed about her using the key to enter an old building where it was obvious something scary had occurred with ominous red stains in the bathroom sink, a broken lamp and tawdry tossed satin sheets. I do my writing practice in the morning now so that I can continue to capture my dreams.
Anne’s Apartment
3. Subliminal Memories – As I continued to write my memories fell onto the page that I hadn’t thought about in years. I grew up in the early 60s and my parents used to go out to dances all dressed up; my mother in her white fox fur, sparkly jewelry, my father in his tux. Hitchcock films and TV shows such as Perry Mason crept into my writing with their noir detective scenes, mysterious handsome characters and twisting plots. My friend’s 1970s small apartment on California Street in San Francisco became Anne’s. My two summers studying at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff seeped into my scenes; driving through the Navajo nation with the upside-down basket hogans, the awe-inspiring Painted Desert, and terrifying real life flash flood. 
Julia Cameron’s small prayer from The Artist’s Way helped allow these spontaneous channels to guide me. “You take care of the quality. I’ll take care of the quantity.” Through practice I learned to trust myself to put the words onto the page without worrying if my writing was any good or if anyone would ever like it. My responsibility was to show up and get into the zone. It’s only when I’m there that I can tap into these inspirational techniques but I can’t take any of the credit for the outcome!
How does your own creativity come to you?
Nice Jill. I enjoyed reading about your process. I could feel the creativity pour out of you. xx josie
Poet and Encaustic Queen Josie – You are one of the most creative women that I know and an inspiration to me.
Thank you so much Jill. That makes me feel very supported. This upcoming project has been a blast and a lot of hard work especially since I am preparing for Hayward CA show in October. Happy creating to you.
I liked the ideas about not judging your work for quality at the outset-
Thanks Phil, It takes time to let go and be free of self-criticism to create. I think you have learned how to do it too. Otherwise you wouldn’t be famous all over the country!
Hi Jill,
thanks for sharing this with us. Your experience can show other writers that trusting dreams and memories and intuition can enrich the writing and the writing process.
Judy, You showed me the path! Thanks for everything.
It always amazes me as to where our hand & heart will take us if we just allow them to. Great piece Jill!
Amen!
I find it fascinating how our minds come up with our book ideas. Thanks for sharing your process!
Thanks Indy, I like reading about your process too!
Interesting read, Jill! Thanks for sharing. My process is so vastly different that I found this surprising (in a good way!)
Rebecca, I think you write much more cerebral than I do. And I mean that in a good way! Correct?
I don’t know, Jill. I often find my ideas by reading books or articles.
Your ideas to write about come from books and articles which are cerebral. But once you get the idea and then start writing I know your words come from the heart.
Thanks, Jill.