Writing Tips: Where Do I Find Ideas for My Stories?
Here are some great places to find starting points for your Short Story, Novella or Novel. These should only be sparks to lead you to a unique story idea. Please don’t plagiarize or recount something as it was described in the articles listed. Be Creative. That is what writing is all about.
- Your Past - You can find some real jewels from things that you have personally experienced. What subject is better than something you know a lot about first hand.
- Weekly World News - This Magazine has some of the craziest stories in it. There should be a little nugget that is fascinating to write about in this week’s issue.
- Yahoo News - I like the Odd News, but there are awesome ideas all over this page.
- TV - I get a lot of ideas from programs that I watch. I think about alternative plot lines. How would I handle that scene? I wouldn’t write it that way, I would write it this way… That sort of thing.
- Pick a word - I will sometime pick a word from a book I am reading and write the first thing that comes to my mind. Sometimes I get a great story. Other times I just get 500 words of practice.
- People Watch - Take a notebook to the park or the mall or some other public place. Choose a person at random and write their back story based on your first impression.
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If you have other ideas on how to find story ideas, write a comment. I would love to hear how you are inspired.
