How a ‘Zombie’ Film Inspired Me to Write a Novel
In addition to being an avid reader, I also thoroughly enjoy storytelling through film and television. Today I went to see 28 Years Later with a friend, and it got my creative wheels turning! If you haven’t seen the film, not to worry, as I won’t be sharing any spoilers in this post. Instead, I’ll be sharing how this film franchise completely changed my brain chemistry and possibly made me into a fan of horror. Also, I’ll be sharing how the original film inspired me to write a novel.
Back in 2003, I was in high school. One evening, my younger brother and I were invited to a friend’s house to watch the newly released 28 Days Later on DVD. At that time, I didn’t consider myself a fan of scary movies, but of course as a teenager I didn’t want to seem uncool to my friends. Even though the flesh-eating monsters in the franchise aren’t technically zombies—they are living humans who have become infected by the “rage virus”—this film undoubtedly changed the entire zombie genre. Plus it absolutely terrified me!
For some reason when things really really scare me, I have a tendency to become fixated on them. I suppose in some way I’m trying to make sense of the nonsensical thing in an effort to feel less afraid. Well, that film single-handedly started my morbid-curiosity with zombies. Years later when I was in college, I had a dream (or nightmare) wherein I was surviving a zombie apocalypse. It was such a vivid and intense dream that even after waking up a few times, I’d pick up the story where I’d left off, once I’d fallen back asleep. I’ve never had a dream quite like it before or since. So like any good storyteller, I wrote down everything I could recall.
During my senior year of college, I took a creative writing class and drafted the first chapter of my dream-inspired story. I can remember sitting at my desk with all the lights on, as I typed grotesque descriptions of the undead. (All while trying not to jump out of my skin at every little creak from the neighbors walking upstairs!) I received amazing feedback from my peers when I shared my story in class, and after graduating I wrote the second chapter.
I wish I could say that I’ve completed this story. It’s an unfinished work that has been living in my imagination for nearly two decades. Last year though, I decided to revisit my original draft. I knew that I wanted to finish the story, and I also knew that my writing had drastically changed since college. So I sat down and started brainstorming. One of my goals for this year is to complete the first draft of this novel. To keep things simple, I’ve decided to create a pseudonym for my novel, which is Project Inkberry. At present, I have created a digital board to organize my characters, plot, and themes that I want to include in the story. I also have a designated notebook for jotting down random thoughts or bits of inspiration, like how I felt after seeing 28 Years Later. 😉
While writing the first draft, I plan to share my progress here on my blog as well as on YouTube and my other social media platforms. I won’t be sharing any specific excerpts of my writing, as stories often evolve and change through the writing process. But I will gladly share my experience of the writing process. I find it really fitting and synchronistic that in the same year that I’m restarting my novel, the film that thrilled/terrified me into inspiration has released a new sequel, a new chapter. Here’s to resuming my own story and dipping my pen back in the inkwell!
