A frequent question put to writers is where do we get our inspiration from? Do we get it from the people in our lives, seeing someone walk past us on the street, an actor/actress…where exactly do we get it from???
Here’s the answer: YES. To all of those choices.
Sometimes I see someone walking through a grocery story chatting on her phone. I hear part of the conversation that can meet literally anything and BAM! a new character hits me, and a story unfolds from there. When I’m smart, I will make a note in my phone or a random piece of paper I pull out of my purse so I can use this idea later. When I’m not- like this morning- I don’t. Because “I’ll remember that one- it was a really good one!” So, I had a great idea strike me while taking the Metra downtown to cheer on my brother in the Chicago Marathon- and now it’s gone.
Sometimes I get inspiration from family/friends. Usually when this happens though, it’s more a mannerism, or characteristic that sparks something for me. I have never, and will never, base a character off of someone in my personal life.
If I get it wrong, they are gonna be pissed. Get a detail wrong, or stretch the truth about something (cause ya know, it’s fiction) and they’ll be offended and thanksgiving dinner just gets awkward. Plus, it won’t work. Not for me anyway. My characters have a tendency to run off on their own- which is awesome. Except if I’m trying to force the character to stay in this neat little box I put them in because they are supposed to be based off of my sister, they will get angry with me. And trust me, having your characters angry at you is almost as bad as that awkward thanksgiving dinner.
So better to stick to fictional characters for me- although, I do use little things from their characteristics as inspirations. They’ll never know. And I’ll never tell!
A lot of erotic romance writers use pictures of men/women that look similar to their characters to inspire them. I don’t usually do this- only because I’m lazy and tend to find pictures later- after I’ve written the story. However, Liberated Heart, is the exception. And let me tell you how/why this came to be.
While I was finishing Indebted Heart, I came across a video on kink.com that struck me. I am not ashamed to admit I watch BDSM porn when I start writing a sex/play scene. It gets my juices flowing. So, I was getting prepped for my work on Indebted Heart and came across the movie in question. The Top was everything I wanted Bradley to be in Liberated Heart. He had the same attitude, the right confidence level, and the delicious sadistic play elements Bradley was leaning toward. The actor’s name is Derrick Pierce.
I think I watched almost every one of his videos while I was writing Liberated Heart. His mannerisms were perfectly matched, it was as though I was watching Bradley on the screen. The only thing Bradley didn’t have when I went to write him, was his physical appearance. So for the first time, I based a characters appearance on an actual human being.
After I was finished writing Bradley and Erin’s story, I tried to find a cover model that fit Bradley as well as Derrick did. Not even close- though by this time I was being a little picky. So I reached out, and the stars must have been aligned just so, because I was able to have him grace my cover!
Now I will disclaimer here: I have never met Derrick Pierce, and although Bradley may share some physical appearances, his is not him. Because, again, this is fiction, and Bradley came from my head/heart/soul.
So there you
go. Everything is fair game when us writers are around. Everything has potential to inspire creativity. An empty playground could inspire a woman’s fiction story about a young woman struggling to cope with having recently given up her baby for adoption. A man stalking toward a woman standing at a car with a remorseful look on her face could inspire a spanking story. And a man dragging his nails down his submissives chest during a routine adult movie can inspire a novel about a woman finding her strength and purpose while kneeling at the feet of her Dominant.
ALSO IN THE WINDY CITY SERIES
About Derrick Pierce
Before joining the ranks of the porn elite, XXX hunk Derrick Pierce was a certified personal trainer and martial arts instructor. He continues his fitness experience as a bootcamp instructor and personal trainer, in addition to giving advice and tips on his fitness blog. The “Bad Boy of Adult” has coached and cornered professional MMA athletes from both WEC and UFC.
Derrick has performed in a multitude of roles ranging from hardcore BDSM to feature adult films. The brawny stud plays a convincing villain in Axel Braun’s comic book parodies Batman V Superman, Wolverine XXX, The Dark Knight XXX and Captain America XXX. No stranger to center-stage roles, he has also played Deadpool, Bain, Mandarin, Lex Luther and Magic Mike. For his efforts, Derrick was nominated for Male Performer of the Year at XBIZ, and Best Actor at the 2016 AVNs and XBIZ. At the 2016 XRCO Awards he took home the top honor of Best Actor for his leading role in Magic Mike XXXL. Derrick was handpicked by Sunny Lynn Sytch to manhandle her in the title sequence of her Vivid sex tape, “Sunny Side Up: in through the Backdoor.”
Derrick is also the go-to guy for fitness, dance and fight sequence choreography. Examples of his work can best be displayed in the fight scenes of Ronda ArouseMe and the dancing sequences in Magic Mike XXXL. The Herculean performer has also proven his talent behind the camera as an award nominated director. He co-owns the hardcore production studio, Primal Productions, and he runs the membership website BangingPornstars.com, which follows Derrick’s encounters with the hottest starlets in adult. With the launch of www.DerrickPierce.com, the adult film star, MMA fighter, and fitness enthusiast tackles the topics and issues of today’s man. His unique brand of advice offers practical real world recommendations on sex, health, and wealth and everything in between.
Links:
www.starfactorypr.com/derrick-pierce