Notes

Generating Story Ideas
Generating a tale idea can often be akin to an agonizing birth. Every writer has already established experience with writer's block. But that always will come in the midst of writing a tale. There are different techniques for handling that type of block.

But what happens once you simply go out of ideas? Where do authors and story tellers develop the ideas for story after story, developing a seemingly endless supply of entertainment for the masses?

The main element question isn't "where do story ideas come from," it's -

Where do GOOD story ideas come from?

The seeds of stories exist all around us in our everyday lives. A lot of my short stories grow out of personal experience. The true or semi-true versions of these events usually serve as fodder for entry into contests. I tend to write these stories for inspirational categories.

But, our little personal life experiences can be boring to others - particularly when we stick to the absolute truth.

So, what about fiction?

The real world

Fiction can find its roots in real life, as well. For example, a friend of mine is focusing on a short story about a man who loses his job and continues on a little rampage on the freeway. The roots of his story come from a real-life event in Chicago. Just read the daily newspaper or internet news groups and you have a whole crop of potential stories in virtually any genre for which you write. Each story could be purposed to your requirements - there's always a new angle to be written.

Writing prompts

There is a whole host of writing websites offering story prompts. Daily. That's a lot of story ideas for you yourself to look over. Writer's Digest is one particular sites. Even if the prompt doesn't quite fit what you are considering, search for an angle that does.

The epiphany

Epiphanies are some of the greatest sources for writing inspiration. They are those moments with time when sudden realization dawns on us such as a lightning bolt. It sizzles through our brain and often causes us to avoid whatever we have been doing to ponder the particular realization and its consequences on our lives.

One particular epiphany that hit me recently was that middle age is hell. Not later years - that is clearly a classic misconception my epiphany told me. The epiphany came about one day when I came across that a small spot of discoloration on my leg was...God help me...a patch of varicose veins. I wasn't ready for that. It was at that time when it dawned on me that middle age was much worse than being elderly because by enough time you're 80, you do not care what new ailment or "disfigurement" pops up - you expect them. In middle age, however, old age starts to appear and you are in no way ready for it. This is the inspiration for my next short story.

Reading

Just how many times do I have to tell you to read and never stop. Read everything. There exists a large number of story ideas contained in the writing of other authors. You don't have to have a totally new and unique idea - hardly anything is. But you may take the same topic and write it from the different view, from the different group of characters, or just write it better. Of course, I'm not recommending plagiarism. You need to that which was written and spin it into something new and unique to you.

Journal

Keep a journal. I'm not a diary sort of person, but I keep a story idea journal. There are lots of times I come up with a great idea, but I understand the idea isn't right. Perhaps I don't possess a distinctive enough spin to interest people, or I haven't developed the right purpose for it.

For get more info , I've a story I wish to write called Dark Glass. It's been sitting on the burner for approximately per year now because I haven't had the proper purpose for this - is it a brief story or perhaps a novel? Knowing your purpose often determines the kind of story line you should employ. I don't have that yet. I've some ideas, I've a beginning, but the ending and the writing must wait until I know what my purpose is in writing it.

Brainstorming

Finally, we arrived at brainstorming. This is a technique I use in article writing. I usually write articles in batches, therefore i need to start by coming up with a list of topics before I can put pen to paper. First, I start out simply by immersing my brain in thinking about the topic and jot down everything I can develop. When I go out of ideas, I search the web to see what other people are authoring within that topic. This usually inspires more article topics and headings than I want.

Ultimately, however, story ideas are inert matter and soon you act upon them and bring them to life. Just start writing about something - anything - & most often you will discover your own creative juices start spilling outrageous with ideas that spin off of what you are writing. Sometimes, the story you write may go in the garbage, however the ideas that come from it will be the source of something truly great.

Darcie Carsner Torres is a professional writer and editor with over twenty years of experience. She provides editing and critiquing services through CanAm Author Services, [http://www.canamauthorservices.com], and editing and ghostwriting services through Pen & Pestle, [http://www.penandpestle.com]. Her mission is to help budding authors improve their writing and get published.
Website: https://www.songsofvasistha.com/