Where I Find Inspiration as a Writer

Welcome to my very first blog post! For those who already know me, welcome back. For those who don't, my name is Isabelle Martens, and I'm the self-published author of Skating the Line. I'll spare you the boring details about my life and credentials (but if you're still curious, there's a whole "About" section waiting for you on my website).

Writing is such a beautiful, intimate process for every author. Just imagine walking through the doors of your favorite bookstore, breathing in that delicious scent of paper, surrounded by rows and rows of stories... and realizing that someone sat down, researched, dreamed, and wrote every single one of those books. Isn't that crazy?

I remember being young and thinking to myself, Where do they even get the inspiration to do that?

It's different for everyone, but today, that's what I want to talk about: where I find mine.

When Ideas Turn Into Inspiration

Growing up, I had endless ideas for stories. Stories with dragons, knights, and dramatic love confessions in crowded rooms. Some ideas were knock-offs of my favorite childhood books, and others were sparked by hilarious moments with my family.

But here's the thing. They were just... ideas.

Inspiration, to me, is different. It's that moment when an idea moves. It's the mental spark that makes me sit down and actually do something with it.

Skating the Line is a story that's extremely close to my heart. When the idea first came to me, it was the inspiration—not just the concept—that made me sit down and write it.

How the Midwest and Winter Sparked My Story

The writing process is its own adventure; creating characters, building the plot, and figuring out what needs to happen. But finding inspiration feels like the snowflakes that start to gather before turning into a snowball rolling down a hill.

Okay, that winter metaphor actually couldn't be more fitting, because that's exactly how Skating the Line was born.

I live in a beautiful Midwestern state that shows off all four seasons, and (unpopular opinion) I love winter. Like, I adore it. Winter feels like a season of death in hopes that spring will come again, and that's exactly what Skating the Line encapsulates. There's something magical about the bare trees coated in glittery snow and the crisp sound of ice crunching beneath boots that makes me think, Yes. I can put this into words.

Since I live in a place where winter sports are a huge part of our culture, I wanted my first book to be a love letter to my roots. While Skating the Line is, at its heart, a romance, it's also a story about home. About honoring the place that shaped me.

Whenever I felt myself floundering while writing, I always turned back to the setting: Where are my characters right now? How can I show it? How can them interacting with their surroundings depict their emotions or dialogue? Whether it was Jason, the main male character, glancing out a window at the softly falling snow, or Clarity, the main female character, tiptoeing over a patch of black ice on a sidewalk, their reactions to the world around them always helped me fall and immerse myself back into the story.

The Next Spark: "Project Las Vegas"

After finishing Skating the Line, I started thinking about a completely new story. This one began with a single question:

What would happen if a police K-9 officer lost control of his dog?

The funny thing is inspiration didn't strike until I started imagining the setting. Should the story take place in a foreign country? No, that didn't feel right. The Pacific Northwest? That's too "forest-y serial killer," and I don't want to write that type of crime-mystery. The East Coast? I love the East Coast. But... that's not the vibe, either.

Then, it clicked. Las Vegas. The desert. Night life and dark alleys and lavish parties that demand security.

One thought led to another, and now that first draft has over 30,000 words written. Isn't it funny how my inspiration always circles back to a place?

Wrapping Up

I hope this gives you a little insight into my process, and now you know how Skating the Line came to life. If you'd like to read the story and experience the Midwest through my eyes (or, well, Clarity and Jason) (Did someone say dual POV romance???), you can preorder your copy here.

And if you want to follow along as I write my next book (Project Las Vegas, title yet to be revealed), you can find me on Instagram or sign up for my quarterly newsletter where I'll share sneak peeks and real-time updates.

Until next time,

Isabelle 💖