Monday, February 26, 2007

Soap Opera Fan?

Yesterday someone asked me whether I get my ideas for writing from soap opera's. Well, since I seriously despise soap opera's, you can probably imagine the look of disgust on my face that I couldn't keep from showing. :)

I told him that good writer's have people who tell them what to write - the little people in their heads! HA! Yeah, okay so I'm not that funny. I tried!

So later on I began to wonder... do any of you get any inspiration from soap opera's? I'm also curious to know how? Does anything actually ever happen on them? You can miss a couple of weeks of the stuff and still not have missed anything.

Is there another place you get inspiration from? I know that I love to create characters that have some quirky personality traits that I have found in my friends - yeah, I do that. So far none of them have complained or sued me so... knock on wood. :) Thank God I change the names! ;) As for inspiration for my evil villains... well I have a t-shirt that says... Caution! Mystery Romance Writer - I research ways to kill people for a living. Try to remember that before you make me angry.

Two words... so true! Muwahahahaha! ;)

12 comments:

Wylie Kinson said...

Soap Operas aren't my thing either. Maybe when I was in high school. I like to think my tastes have evolved. (with no disrespect to s/o fans!)

I, too, steal bits of real people. Mostly their life philosophies or quirky beliefs. One of my wips is based entirely on one scene from Friends. My wip has nothing to do with those characters, AT ALL, but one simple scene between two of the characters blossomed into an entire plot in my head. Go figure...

Unknown said...

I haven't watched a sopa opera in years. I'm not a big fan of them, and I don't think I have ever taken any ideas from them. I have too many ideas of my own to need to borrow any from a soap. I don't think most of them would sell as books anyway.

Michelle said...

I don't do soap operas either. I don't have the patience for them. I hate things that I have to watch every day to see what happens. That's why I like books! LOL

So far all of my writing has been bits and pieces of my life, past and friends.

Amy Ruttan said...

Bo and Hope. I haven't watched S.O's in years because frankly they piss me off like no other. Especially Passions, GRRR don't get me started on that crap.

I get inspired by movies, people I know, dreams. My mind is constantly going.

S.O's are too long drawn out and everyone is boinking one another, even if there "in love" with someone else.

"I had to marry him even though I love you, I'll stay with jerk face and be miserable because he's keeping my sister in a dungeon." COME ON!

Robyn Mills said...

I don't watch them either. My MIL planned her day around them and could tell you the life story of everyone on the the Young and the Restless, Days of Our Lives and General Hospital.
I love the quote about getting your man laid correctly the first time.

Anonymous said...

Like the other gals have said, I take bits and pieces and facets of real people I know or have known.

When I was a kiddo, I watched soap operas some with my grandmother -- she never missed them! She was funny, though -- she joked about them, calling "As the World Turns" "As the Stomach Churns." ;)

Wylie Kinson said...

My mother used to watch 'The Edge of Night'. Remember that one? I still can picture the character 'Raven' for some reason. Weird.
Hey - and I made an appearance on Y&R back in the 90's. I had one line: (ahem...) "Right down those stairs, sir."
Ta-Da!!! Wasn't I awesome? Shoulda won a day-time Emmy man...

Angela/SciFiChick said...

Ah, Days of Our Lives.. I've actually been watching that one lately. It's hilarious and annoying.. like watching a train wreck.. I can't look away.

Vicky said...

Wylie - you were on tv. You really are famous! :) Great line BTW. ;)

Amy - tell me how you really feel about them. :) I was LMAO reading what you wrote.

Vicky said...

Michele - I think that's why I like books too. You control the pace and it doesn't drag on... plus romance books usually only have one romance blooming and it's monogamous - something soap opera's don't even know the meaning of!

Vicky said...

Robyn - thanks... I love it too! It's Susan Andersen's words in one of her books, but I fell in love with it years ago when I read it. I haven't found a quote I've loved so much since I laid eyes on it! So wrong! Yet, so right! ;)

Vicky said...

TL - As the world churns? Heehee! I like that one. I'll remember that next time I go to a family funcition and all the aunts start talking about it! :)

Angela - Train wreck is right! Do you get the popcorn out?