Monday Sep 29, 2025
Episode 3 - Where Do Ideas Come From?
This is Fictional Problems, the podcast where we discuss all things writing, in association with Speculative Fiction Ireland.
In episode 2, part 1, hosts Alan McNevin and Gary Martin explore where ideas come from, the form of inspiration, whether fan fiction counts as writing, readiness to hit publish, and how series structure shapes storytelling.
Join the conversation about turning influences into original work and preparing a story for readers.
10 days ago
Hi there, I feel there is a certain place for fanfic. I think all artistic expression has its own merit and value, whether it is nothing more than a fun hobby or it becomes something larger, such as Fifty Shades of Grey (originally Twilight fan fiction). I do think there is inherent value in any kind of creativity, so if you love reading or writing fanfic, then I say more power to you and enjoy it as much as possible. It is just not something I feel I would be interested in reading or writing, and, you know what? That’s totally ok too. Thank you so much for listening, and I hope you continue to listen and enjoy us two muppets chatting about writing, TV, and movies. We really appreciate your comment, and if you want, we could give you a shout-out in a future episode. Thanks, Gary and Alan
11 days ago
I’ll have to respectfully disagree with your stance on fanfic... several things I have learned from them: even when using an established IP, fanfic writers still build skills when it comes to world building. Also, most fanfic writers aren’t trying to ’mirror’ their faves... They are trying to continue after the last page, ship characters that weren’t together in the IP, or explore another aspect of that story’s world.