Inspiration for AUs and Headcanons

[fleurviolette]

 Where do you find inspiration for an AU or a headcanon?

Maybe it could be from an elaborate plot of a book, movie, or even tv? Or maybe the inspiration comes from a youtube video of someone eating an entire menu in a moving truck?

I'm just curious to find out, because sometimes inspiration can be found somewhere unexpected. 

Comments

[fabrisse]

Prompts, mostly.

My "Rebuilding the Table" stories in the Kingsman fandom were based on the end of the first movie and extrapolating, so while I consider them an AU, it's at least partially due to the second movie jossing my very logical assumptions. ;-)

"The Great War" on the other hand was an AU in the same fandom from the beginning. There was a prompt at Dressing Room Three and it sparked a little "Hmmm" and everything went from there. I love getting random prompts and occasionally hang around the fringes of prompt communities to pick up ideas (which I credit). It's one of the reasons I adore writing for Yuletide. Prompts let me latch onto something and then swing free in my imagination.

[fleurviolette]

Prompts are a great source of inspiration for aus, no matter how small or big they are.

So, what about headcanons? Do you stay within or deviate from the source material?

[fabrisse]

Most of my headcanons are character driven. Although I've written a couple of "Reid is a virgin" fics in Criminal Minds fandom, that's not how I see him. Merlin in Kingsman was brought up Church of Scotland and, based on his age, has some hang-ups regarding his homosexuality due to both upbringing and social expectations when he was in his teens and twenties. Kurt from Glee is mentally -- and in later seasons physically -- one of the strongest people in the cast. Daniel Jackson can defend himself, against Jack if necessary, and doesn't need someone else to fight his battles.

Still, one of the best comments I've gotten was "headcanon accepted!" It's nice to know that others can see my point.