Next to writing, reading is my all-time favorite thing. If it’s nonfiction, I’m reading for information. If it’s fiction, all I really want is to be happily entertained.
Unfortunately, these days when I’m reading fiction I’m also analyzing plot, character arcs, descriptive passages and dialog. I’m always looking for examples of really good writing to aspire to, or identifying really bad writing to avoid emulating!
With nonfiction, such as the stack of magazines that threaten to overtake my office space, I often find interesting tidbits here and there that give me pause. I’ll stop and think “what a good blog idea to write about.” And sometimes I do just that.
Inspiration abounds! But I have never tried to pass off anyone else’s work as my own. That would be unconscionable, not to mention illegal. I just have a general “Ah-ha” moment and go writing off merrily into the sunset.
I though it might have been Oprah who coined the “Ah-ha” moments, so I looked it up in case I needed to give her proper credit. She actually has “Aha! Moments” on her website, so I guess no credit is necessary. All is well.