I find inspiration for my stories everywhere - often when I least expect it. But when I'm specifically seeking inspiration, usually for something specific such as a scene or theme or character instead of just in general, I have a handful of common resources.
One of the most obvious is to just google the thing that I'm looking for. To narrow it down, however, I often google "quotes about..." the thing. Another great source is "poems about..." and another is "songs about..."
Here are a few songs that I've found particularly inspirational.
For stories about robots:
Brass Goggles - by Steam Powered Giraffe
https://youtu.be/XjDFNmI3CK4"><strong>Break Down</strong></a> - from the album I Robot - by Alan Parson's Project is a great album about robots. The video here showcases what was perhaps the mental illness subtext of the song.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf7Ie6PMZJk" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sad</strong> <strong>Robot</strong></a> - by Pornphonique</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For stories about killers and murder and suicide:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/KhOs-zBeRHs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Desire</strong></a> - Smashing Pumpkins</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For stories or scenes about loneliness or being an outsider:
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://youtu.be/4zLfCnGVeL4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sound of Silence</a></strong> - for the Simon and Garfunkel version. Or, if you prefer, the modern version by Disturbed, is <a href="https://youtu.be/u9Dg-g7t2l4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>, especially powerful and poignant.</li>
<li><strong><a href="https://youtu.be/l3LFML_pxlY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Boxer</a> - </strong>yeah - I like Simon and Garfunkel - great story tellers - and my Mom liked them and so we listened to them a lot when I was growing up.</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/mpGN0RWdJ9c" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dumb</strong></a> - a classic Nirvana song.</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/yuTMWgOduFM" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Common People</strong></a> - by Pulp, is a pretty funny song about a rich person not fitting in with the common people.</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/XFkzRNyygfk" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Creep</strong></a> - by Radiohead, the quintessential outsider song!</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/bcsJmkR2_1g" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Misfits</strong></a> - by the Kinks, from the ultimate album about outsiders.</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/KhOs-zBeRHs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Desire</strong></a> - by Smashing Pumpkins</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For stories about love:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/H_a46WJ1viA" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bridge Over Troubled Water</strong></a> - another Simon and Garfunkel classic.</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/ojYK6CW8gdw" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Honeybee</strong></a> - by Steam Powered Giraffe</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li> For stories about family:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/KUwjNBjqR-c" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cat's in the Cradle</strong></a> - perhaps one of the most important songs from my childhood. I think many, many guys learned the lesson of making their kids a priority in part from this song.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For big epic powerful stories -
<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/wbgInLJ81eY" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Beethoven's</strong> <strong>5th Symphony</strong></a> - this is a version like you've never heard. Very modern and electronic - with elements of other songs weaved in.</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/P73Z6291Pt8" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Richard</strong> <strong>Wagner's</strong> <strong>Ride</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Valkyries</strong></a> (Berliner Philharmoniker, Daniel Barenboim)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For stories about the circle of life:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/KfPjL18w8lY" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Lightning Crashes</strong></a> - by Live - an old mother dies at the same time that a new mother gives birth</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
